


Epilogue

by Ldylola



Category: Outsiders (TV 2016)
Genre: F/M, Sasil
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-04
Updated: 2018-10-22
Packaged: 2019-01-08 19:42:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 40
Words: 114,503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12260856
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ldylola/pseuds/Ldylola
Summary: I do not own Outsiders or any of these characters, I'm just a fan. I am an avid reader, but not a writer - this is my first try at fanfiction. I have an idea in my head how this will go, but since I am an amateur - I don't know how I will get there or when. But I will try, I think the story deserves an ending. Sasil centered, but I hope to touch on most of the major characters.





	1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

She took a deep breath and opened the bathroom door to find Hasil leaning against the kitchen counter. As she expected, he was packed and ready for his journey. He wasn't one to waste time when something needed to be done.

Sally Ann sighed; avoiding his gaze she asked "You all packed and ready?"

Hasil nodded, his eyes seeking hers. Though she was trying to be strong, he recognized her disguised worry. "Yeah, I expect it'll be a short trip. I'll be home just as soon as I can"

Still avoiding his gaze, she nodded. "I know. Don't worry about me, just ...be safe."

Hasil nodded and stepped toward her, "I will."

Sally Ann took a deep breath and handed him the small bag she had carried from the bathroom. "Take this with you. It's the Aleve and the sports crème to help with your aches and pains from the fight. And bandages and ointment for your cuts...try to keep up with the twice a day routine if you can"

As Hasil started to speak, she questioned quickly "Did you pack any food? You should pack some food, in case you have to go the long way around" She turned her back to him and opened the cabinet, pulling out cans of food. "You can take a few days worth..."

Sally Ann stopped as she felt his breath on her neck and his hands on her shoulders. She leaned back into his chest as he wrapped his arms around her, taking deep breaths until the pounding in her chest slowed.

Hasil held her close and with his lips touching her ear asked "What are you worried about?"

Sally Ann turned in his arms, finally calm enough to meet his eyes "You." She whispered. "Last time you went up the mountain, one of your cousins got shot. I know you have to do this, but I'll be worried till you make it back. Can't help it."

Hasil kissed her forehead and pulled her close. "I'm sorry, I don't like worrying you. I give you my promise; I'll take care and be safe."

Sally Ann nodded, and pulling back to look up at Hasil asked "What are you worried about?"

"You, Darlin." He whispered. "I don't like leavin you alone" Touching her face, and looking down into her eyes - Hasil marveled at her beauty.

"I'll be fine Babe." She said "Promise. Frieda is taking me to the library tomorrow for that insurance thing, and I'll just work on our list. Insurance and car are next up. Doing research will keep me busy. I won't buy anything until you come back."

Hasil nodded and said "I trust you, do what you think is best – don't wait on me if you can get some things settled for us"

Sally Ann nodded and leaned up to kiss him, then said with a smile. "Let's get some food packed so you can get going. Ain't no need for a bunch of long goodbyes" Hasil laughed and pulled her close to him.

  
As Sally Ann stood in the window and watched him walk away, she felt a tightness in her throat. She said a silent prayer for the man she loved, and told the baby "Your Fa will be back soon"

* * *

  
Startled awake by the phone, Sally Ann answered with a sleepy "Hello?"

"Why does it sound like you're not up and dressed?"  
"Hey Frieda, what time is it?" Sally Ann asked, almost positive she heard Frieda roll her eyes through the phone.

"Its 9 o'clock and I'm on my way, we gotta be at the library by 10 o'clock!"

  
Sally Ann sat up, she needed to get moving. There was a workshop on Obamacare at the library today, and she was hoping to find out if she was eligible for a special enrollment. "I'm sorry; I'll be ready in 15 minutes"

  
"I'll stop and grab some breakfast sandwiches and coffee" Frieda said.

"Thanks Frieda, but no coffee for me – caffeine isn't good for the baby"

  
"You need to be awake for this, it's important. Tired as you sound, you'll need some coffee. Don't worry, the book says it's okay to have caffeine as long as you keep it to less than 200mg per day.”

  
Sally Ann smiled, "What is this book you keep talking about?"

  
"The Trans Guide to Vicarious Pregnancy. Auntie Frieda has been reading up, I got this. Get your ass up, see you in 20 minutes!"

Sally Ann smiled and shook her head. That girl is crazy, and in a very short time she had come to love her dearly.  
She looked down at the home screen on her phone and saw Hasil's face smiling up at her. She hadn't slept well without him. After tossing and turning for hours, she finally grabbed one his shirts from the hamper and slipped it on. That was enough to quiet her mind and she finally drifted off to sleep.

  
"I miss you Hasil Farrell" She said aloud, then placed her hand on her belly and greeted the baby. "Good morning little one, let's start our day. Auntie Frieda is on the way with breakfast!"  
  



	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2  
The Blackburg Community Library was the newest building in town. Built with federal funds, it had only been open five years. It was the only thing state of the art about Blackburg. Sally Ann was very familiar with the library; she had been a frequent visitor during her high school years. When she started coming back with Frieda, she was thrilled to see her favorite librarian, Ms. Joyce, was still here and caring for her patrons.

  
As they pulled into the parking lot, Frieda asked how Hasil was doing. Sally Ann told her he had gone back up the mountain.

  
"What? Are you okay with that?"

  
"I'm okay. I mean - I'm worried, but not about him coming back to me – I know he'll be home as soon as he can. It's just not the safest place right now."

  
"He didn't look so good when we dropped ya'll off last night, how is he gonna walk up that mountain?"

  
Sally Ann shook her head "I thought the same thing, but in case you haven't noticed - Hasil doesn't let much stand in his way. He felt like he needed to check in with his folks up there, so this is me being supportive."

  
Frieda gave Sally Ann the side eye "Um hmm, I'll remind you of that when you start talking about going to Cleveland in a couple days."

  
Sally Ann laughed "I'll need you to! But I'm sure I won't admit it when the time comes, so let me say thank you now."

  
Frieda smiled "You're welcome in advance. C'mon, let's get in there so we have time to say hey to Ms. Joyce before the workshop starts"

  
Walking into the library, Sally Ann was still amazed at how this place was everything Blackburg wasn't – Bright, Open, and Hopeful....the architecture helped, but it was Ms. Joyce whose spark warmed everyone she touched.

  
"There's my girls!" She greeted both Sally Ann and Frieda with a warm hug. Tall and slender with short white hair, Joyce Moore was the heart of the Blackburn Community Library. Her compassion for her patrons and enthusiasm for literature made the library a sanctuary and home to everyone who walked through the doors.

  
Sally Ann looked around, "I don't think I've ever seen this many people here Ms. Joyce"  
  


"We expect the afternoon crowd to be even larger; most folks this morning are here for the Social Security workshop – so there are plenty of seats for ya'll in the ACA workshop."

  
"We're so grateful to you for putting this together, Ms. Joyce." Frieda said, "There's obviously a need here in town, but it means a lot to us personally"

  
Ms. Joyce smiled and said "Then do me a favor Miss, and stay clear of McBride today – with so many people here she is riding side saddle on her high horse! Don't let her start something you'll have to finish or I'll have to break up!"

Vicky McBride was the Co-Librarian and had very conservative views. To say she and Frieda were not fans of one another was a gross understatement.  Both Sally Ann and Frieda laughed. Frieda promised to stay away from Mrs. McBride and Sally Ann promised to keep an eye out for trouble.

  
"Thank you Sweeties! Sally Ann, the book you wanted for your young man came in – let me grab it so ya'll can get seated. I'll be right back."

  
As Ms. Joyce turned to walk away, Sally Ann heard someone calling her name. She turned to see Kyla Walton walking toward her. "Kyla!" She exclaimed and embraced the young woman "What are you doing here?

Kyla smiled and said "I am here for the Social Security workshop; I am trying to help Big Mama get some things in order"

Sally Ann turned to Frieda and said "This is Kyla, we went to school together. Kyla, this is Frieda." The two women shook hands.  
Sally Ann asked "How long have you been home? Is everything okay with your folks?"

  
Kyla paused, her eyes starting to fill with tears. "Popsie passed last week; he had a heart attack last Monday. I got home Tuesday afternoon."

Sally Ann gasped and blinked back tears as she embraced Kyla again. She had spent a lot of time at Kyla's grandparents house. They raised Kyla as their own and treated Sally Ann the same way. "I'm so sorry Ky."

  
"Thank you." She said, accepting the tissue Frieda pulled from her purse. "The service was Saturday, James said he didn't have any way to get in touch with you and wasn't sure you were even in town anymore. Big Mama missed you there."

  
"I'm sorry, I would have been there if I could, I didn't know. I had a falling out with James and haven't been to church in awhile"

"It's okay, I'm just glad I ran into you. Do ya'll have time for lunch this afternoon? I would love to catch up."

  
Sally Ann looked at Frieda, who nodded. "Sure, we're going to the ACA workshop. Meet out front afterward?"

  
"Sounds good" Said Kyla. "Nice to meet you Frieda"

  
Frieda nodded ''You too Kyla"

  
As Kyla walked away, Frieda looked at Sally Ann and asked "You okay?"

  
"Yeah" Sally Ann said. "Her grandparents were really good to us, James and me. They helped out a lot when our Momma ran off. Thanks for agreeing to go to lunch; I really need to pay my respects"

  
"Don't worry about it" Frieda smiled "Here comes Ms. Joyce, let's get that book for Hasil and get to the workshop."

  
  
  
  


 


	3. Chapter 3

Sally Ann, Frieda, and Kyla shared a booth and visited while they waited for lunch. Thanks to Ms. Joyce's event, they each got some helpful information.

Sally Ann found that she was eligible for a special enrollment under the ACA since she lost her job and insurance less than 60 days ago. She was thrilled to learn she couldn't be denied coverage due to her pregnancy and made an appointment with an insurance agent for 9 AM tomorrow to get signed up. Frieda learned she could get coverage to help with her transition. Though she wasn't eligible for special enrollment, she was excited about getting signed up during open season. Kyla was able to get the answers she needed to help her grandmother.

Everyone was in good spirits and Frieda was enjoying listening to Sally Ann and Kyla catch up.

Kyla asked, "So what happened with James?" Sally Ann sighed, "He wasn't happy when I started seeing Hasil. It got worse when he found out I was pregnant. I don't know what upset him more, that Hasil is white or that he is a Farrell."

Kyla's jaw dropped, and Frieda reached over and tapped her jaw, "Close your mouth dear, we are not a codfish"

Both Sally Ann and Kyla looked at Frieda, and Kyla said "We will circle back to the fact that you just quoted Mary Poppins." Sally Ann laughed and Frieda smiled as Kyla continued "You're pregnant and your boyfriend is a Shay Mountain Farrell?"

Sally Ann nodded, "Things happened so fast and it's been really crazy, but I love him and we're happy. What about you? How's life in Cincinnati? Are you thinking about moving back?"

"Not for a second." She stated emphatically, "I have a good job with an airline and a girlfriend. Things are good for me. There are people I love here, but I don't feel at home here – I never have." Looking at Kyla, Sally Ann could see a lightness that was missing when they were younger.

Sally Ann reached out and squeezed Kyla's hand "I am so glad we ran into each other!"

"Me too!" Kyla smiled. "You need to come over and see Big Mama; she's going back to Cincy with me tomorrow."

"Permanently?" Sally Ann asked.

"I hope so; the house just isn't the same without Popsie around. But she only agreed to come for 6 months. I have to bring her home for Christmas"

Frieda smiled "That's when the baby is due!"

Sally Ann rolled her eyes "Yes - Auntie Frieda's Christmas Miracle!" They were still laughing when the waitress brought their lunch.

After lunch, Kyla asked again if Sally Ann could make it over for a visit.

"I kind of rely on Frieda for rides right now." Sally Ann said looking at Frieda.

Frieda smiled "Let me check in with Butch and see if he needs the car for anything"

When Frieda stepped away to make her call, Kyla smiled at Sally Ann "I like her, she's good people."

Sally Ann nodded, contemplating the unlikely bond they had formed. "She's saved my sanity more than once, she's a wonderful friend"

"So are you having car trouble?" Kyla asked

"We don't have one. I shared with James and Hasil didn't need a car on the mountain. We finally have enough money saved up to buy one, just a matter of finding a reliable one we can afford."

"You can buy Popsies! You know he was meticulous about taking care of his cars; he has all 10 years worth of maintenance records. It's a 2007, but it's clean and has less than 60,000 miles on it"

"What about Mrs. Walton, won't she need a car?"

"Big Mama don't drive! Have you ever seen Miss Daisy behind the wheel?"

Thinking back, Sally Ann could not recall ever seeing Mrs. Walton drive. "Huh, I guess not! Can't believe I didn't notice that"

"I was gonna to take it to Cincy to sell, but I would love to save myself that headache. Plus, I am sure Big Mama would love for you to have it"

Sally Ann bit her lip, that was a big purchase to make without Hasil around. But Mr. Walton was one of the best mechanics in town, so she knew the car would be in good shape. They couldn't afford new, so reliable was important. "How much does she want for it?"

"We hadn't really talked about it. Blue book is about $3500, but getting a trailer and hauling it to Cincy would cost $300-500. No more than $3000, but I have a feeling Big Mama is going to insist on a friends and family discount for you." Kyla said with a smile.

Frieda returned and shared that Butch didn't need the car until 7pm. "I can drop you off and come back for you about 6pm."

"Great! You'll have to come in and at least meet my grandmother, but you're welcome to stay and visit."

Frieda smiled "I can stay for a few minutes, but I have a proctored test at the library this afternoon at 3pm"

"Frieda is taking online classes; she just got her associates in Psychology!" Sally Ann beamed proudly.

"Congratulations Frieda, good for you!" Kyla said

Frieda blushed. "Thank you! Ms. Joyce prodded me to take that last course for my associates, she is so amazing!"

Kyla smiled, "She is the one who encouraged me to move up to Cincy. She said she didn't see a future for me here, that my soul belonged someplace else."

"Right? She has this energy - I'm not sure what it is; I thought I was a little bit psychic – but she may be real deal"

Sally Ann cleared her throat "Alrighty then! On that note, let's pay the check and go see Mrs. Walton! Lunch is on Hasil and me today."

As both Frieda and Kyla protested, Sally Ann put up her hand to stop them. "No arguments. Today has been one of the best days I have had in years, just hanging out with ya'll and being able to talk. Hasil would appreciate you guys helping me keep my spirits up, so thank you from both of us."


	4. Chapter 4

Frieda and Sally Ann followed Kyla to Mrs. Walton's house. As they got out of their cars, Frieda seemed nervous. She asked Kyla "Are you sure this is okay? Some folks don't know how to take me…"

It was Kyla's turn to roll her eyes "Don't be silly! Big Mama…" Frieda interrupted "Is grieving, I don't want to make her uncomfortable in her own home. "

Kyla could see that Frieda was genuinely concerned and said "Let me show you something I carry in my wallet. It's a note Big Mama mailed me after I told her I was gay." Pulling the note out of her wallet, Kyla handed it to Frieda and urged her to read it aloud.

All God's children are born with a unique essence. God don't make mistakes, you are who he made you to be. Your essence will test your character and it will test the character of others. But only HE can judge you. Stay on the path of rectitude. Love you Baby, BM and Popsie

P.S. A little Vicks on the bottom on your feet will take care of that cough

Frieda didn't talk much about her family and Sally Ann had a feeling it was a painful subject. She put her hand on her friends back as she stared at the note "It'll be fine, I promise"

Frieda looked up and nodded, she handed the note back to Kyla "Thank you for sharing that, I hope you know how fortunate you are. "

"I do and you're welcome." Kyla said. "This has become my truth." Then she smiled "Especially the part about the Vicks, takes care of my cough every time! Gesturing toward the house, she led the way for her friends "C'mon, let's get inside."

As they walked into the house, Kyla called "Big Mama? We have company!"

Gert Walton came from the kitchen at the sound of her granddaughter's voice. She smiled warmly as she walked toward the trio "Sally Ann Lewis!"

Sally Ann stepped forward and wrapped her arms around her, "Hey Mrs. Walton." She said her voice cracking. "I'm so sorry about Mr. Walton. I would have been there had I known." Through tears she apologized again "I'm sorry it's been so long since…" Mrs. Walton stopped her and stepped back, "You hush, I'm just glad to see you now. Let me get a look at you child… still as pretty a picture!"

She wrapped her arm around Sally Ann's waist and smiling at Frieda asked, "Who do we have here?"

Frieda smiled shyly and extended her hand "Ma'am" She said, "My name is Frieda Atkins"

Mrs. Walton stepped forward and extended her arms "Give me a hug Miss Frieda, I don't shake hands with my guests" Frieda hugged her in return and said "Thank you Ma'am. I'm so sorry for your loss"

"Thank you sugar, I appreciate your kindness. What is a sweet gal like you doing with these two ragamuffins?"

The girls all laughed and Kyla shared that they ran into each other at the library and then stopped for lunch.

"Did ya'll save room for dessert? Come sit out back with me, every old woman in town has brought me a cake or cobbler! "

Frieda had to excuse herself after dessert to get back to library for her test. "I have an appointment at the library, so I need to run. Thank you for hospitality Mrs. Walton. I'm so glad I got a chance to meet you."

Mrs. Walton rose to hug Frieda, "It was a pleasure sugar. Please tell Joyce Moore I said hello" Frieda nodded as she continued "and I hope you plan on staying for supper when you come back for Sally Ann. Bring your young man!"

"I'll try ma'am" Frieda promised. "See you girls about 6pm" She waved to the girls as she let herself out.

As they sipped lemonade, Mrs. Walton filled Sally Ann in on all the newest community news. Although Sally Ann was going to great lengths to avoid her brother, she did miss going to church. Mrs. Walton asked why she didn't want to see James.

"He hates my boyfriend. Hasil isn't telling me, but I'm pretty sure James had something to do with him getting jumped and beaten up." She shook her head, "his temper scares me and I don't feel safe around him. I haven't in years….." Sally Ann sighed "But now I can't take the risk with being pregnant and all."

Mrs. Walton nodded her understanding, "You do what you need to do to protect your family. Are you happy with this young man? Are ya'll ready for a baby?"

Sally Ann smiled, "I am happy. As for ready for the baby, we're trying. I haven't been working, but Hasil has been able to provide for us. We have a place of our own and we are have some money saved up so we can cover necessities"

"They need a car Big Mama, I told Sally Ann she should buy Popsies" Kyla said "It would be so much easier on us than hauling it to Cincy to try to sell"

"That's a fine idea!" Mrs. Walton said. "It would be good to keep it in the family."

Sally Ann nodded "Thank you ma'am, I know Mr. Walton took good care of it and so would we. Kyla said it was worth about $3500, we have enough to pay that."

"I ain't about to charge you no $3500 for that car! I think $2000 is a fair price" Mrs. Walton declared firmly.

Sally Ann started to protest, but the (don't you dare child) look on Mrs. Walton's face changed her words to a grateful "Thank you ma'am, this will mean a lot to our family"

"You're welcome sweetie! Now we've boxed stuff for storage and packed stuff I want to take with me. The rest is going to Ms. Juanita for the church yard sale. I bet there are some things you could use for your new place. Let's take a look around" As Mrs. Walton got up and walked inside, Sally Ann looked at Kyla. "She has already been to generous, I can't let her do anymore"

Kyla rolled her eyes and laughed, "I dare you to say that to her face…" She opened the door and gestured for Sally Ann to follow Mrs. Walton. Sally Ann glared at Kyla, who smirked at her as she walked in.

Frieda returned with Butch as promised at 6pm. They found that Sally Ann and Hasil were now the proud owners of a 2007 Ford Fusion. The car was packed with linens, towels, dishes, cookware, a Crockpot, two paintings, winter coats for both of them, a toolbox, a fan, and a small television with a stand.

As she greeting them at the door, Sally Ann's big brown eyes were bright with happiness. She apologized to Frieda "I should have called you to tell you I didn't need a ride, I was just so overwhelmed"

Frieda shushed her "Don't worry about it; I wanted Butch to meet Kyla and Mrs. Walton anyway. This is so great! Butch and I can follow you home and unload the car for you. You crossed a lot of things off that list you're so worried about, so quit worrying and let's go eat!

Sally Ann could see Shay Mountain in the distance and thought, what a difference a day makes! She wished Hasil was here to share the excitement and sent a silent message to him as she sat down for supper with her friends. (Good things are happening for us Babe, hurry home – we miss you!)


	5. Chapter 5

Goodnight ya'll, thanks again for your help." Sally Ann said as she hugged Frieda. "I'll call you tomorrow afternoon"

It was 11pm, and the end of a very long, but good, day. Butch and Frieda helped unload the car and carry all the gifts from Mrs. Walton inside. Butch set up the TV while the girls put everything away. Sally Ann was exhausted, excited, and worried. Although she didn't expect Hasil home today, she had really hoped he would be…that would mean all was well on the mountain. She said a silent prayer that Hasil wouldn't follow that crazy jackass Big Foster into anything dangerous.

Sally Ann took a deep breath and said aloud "I need to take a shower and get to bed if I'm gonna get up at 630 tomorrow. " She was meeting Mrs. Walton and Kyla at the DMV at 730 to pay for the car and transfer the title.

Walking over to the window, she peeked through the curtains. Sally Ann could see the new car parked on the street, but what she was hoping to see was Hasil walking towards home. With a sigh, she grabbed his shirt she'd slept in last night and headed to the bathroom.

* * *

 

Two hours later

"Ledda, Ledda – Its Wade here okay, listen to me, I need you to call your friend Polly okay, the nurse. Just call her, wake her up, get her over to our house right now. I got a kid dying on me here okay, just call her get her over there right now!"

Wade tossed the burner phone into the passenger seat and took a few deep breaths to collect himself. He turned to Hasil" Hey Kid! You stay with me okay, I gotta get clear – they'll be sending a team up here to search the area. Once we're clear I'll get you patched up a lil better and help will be waitin on us when we get back to town."

Hasil groaned in the backseat, he tried to speak –but the fire in his gut wouldn't let words reach his mouth. He closed his eyes and stopped fighting the darkness that was trying to overtake him…..

Ledda's head was spinning! She was trying to remember what Gordon told her about being tracked as she picked up the phone to call Polly. She stopped and took a deep breath. It would take Wade at least 45 minutes if he was coming from Greenpoint Mine. She decided to drive to Polly's house. She left a quick note for the girls and grabbed her keys.

"HASIL!" Sally Ann screamed and sat straight up in bed, struggling to catch her breath. "Dream, just a dream, just a dream" She breathes deeply and closes her eyes and the image comes back to her...

Hasil clinging to a ledge on the mountain, as he starts to slip she screams his name helplessly - she can't reach him. He looks up at her and says "I'm sorry" as he starts to slide so violently it jolts her awake.

"Got Dammit! Come on kid! Hasil!" Wade exhaled when Hasil stirred at the sound of his name "I need you to stay awake, okay – talk to me." As he struggled for words, Wade recalled Hasil had a girl back in town "Hey! What about your girl? Sally Ann?"

Hasil's eyes flew open at the mention of her name; he managed to whisper "Sally Ann"

"That's right, think about Sally Ann" Wade says, "You were worried she'd be upset when you didn't come home that night you took me up the mountain. Just think how pissed she's gonna be if you die on her! Keep your eyes open and keep pressure on that wound"

Hasil struggled through the fog of pain to focus, he needed to stay alive. He nodded and applied pressure. "Ahhhhhhh!" He grunted and his shallow breathing became ragged.

Wade turned to look at him "We're almost clear. Tell me about Sally Ann"

Hasil turned his head to look at Wade "Baby" he whispered "We're havin a baby"

Shit! Wade said to himself, and his heart sank. He swallowed and kept talking.

* * *

 

Sally Ann got up to get a drink of water. She couldn't get that image out of her mind. She sat down and turned on the TV. She flipped through the news channels to see if there was anything being reported about Shay Mountain. There was no news; she could only hope that meant good news.

She turned off the TV and laid back on the pillow, tears still threatening to spill. She placed her hands on her belly, took a deep breath, and closed her eyes.

"Please…Hasil…" As she spoke his name, she felt a flutter under her hands.

* * *

 

"Who is it?"

"Its Ledda, I need your help Polly!"

Polly quickly opened the door for her friend. "Come on in here, what's going on?"

"Wade called me, he has a kid that needs help. He didn't say what was wrong, just asked me to get you to the house. We need to hurry, he said he was dying"

Polly stared at Ledda, the unasked question between them – Why isn't Wade taking him to the hospital?

Ledda finally broke the silence, taking her friends hand. "Please Polly"

Polly took a deep breath and nodded, she trusted Ledda, "Give me 5 minutes to get dressed and grab some supplies"

* * *

 

Wade pulled over and ran to the back of the vehicle to the medical kit. He grabbed a bandage roll and disinfectant. Opening the door, he was saw Hasil – eyes glassy and breathing ragged, but still conscious.

"Okay kid, I'm just gonna take a quick look so I can tell the nurse what she needs to be ready for you. Then I'll wrap it tight so you don't have to keep as much pressure on it. This ain't real sanitary either, so I'm gonna put some disinfectant on it. Ready?"

Hasil nodded. Wade lifted him up from behind "Just rest on your elbows, can you do that?"

"Yeah" Hasil grunted "just hurry" Hasil was trembling from the effort as Wade worked swiftly. No exit wound. He looked at Hasil "I'm gonna pour some of this disinfectant on, it's gonna hurt like hell"

"Jus do it" Hasil breathed through gritted teeth. Wade poured a liberal amount on the shirt they were using and then directly on the wound. "Ahhhhhh! Shit! " Hasil struggled to stay up on his elbows, groaning as Wade wrapped an ace bandage tightly around his middle. When he was done, Hasil collapsed back on the seat – tears in his eyes.

Wade apologized " I know that hurt, we'll have you to the nurse in 20 minutes"

Wade opened the passenger side door and retrieved the burner phone to call Ledda "Wade here, did you get Polly? Good, he's been shot in the left side with a high caliber weapon – probably a M4, the bullet's still in there. We're about 20 minutes out – make sure the garage is clear and open. I'll be coming in dark."

Wade hung up the phone, turned it off, and threw it over the cliff.


	6. Chapter 6

Polly had hoped that she would never see another bullet wound and wasn't sure she would know what to do if she did. She had been retired from the Army 10 years now, enjoying a peaceful life as a Nurse Practitioner providing care to homebound patients.

When Wade pulled up with Hasil, Major Polly Denton took over. A Veteran of both Gulf Wars, she was used to working in field conditions. She quickly accessed Hasil and started giving orders. Polly had Ledda get water boiling and clean towels. She ordered her to cut a hole the size of a saucer in a white bath towel and sterilize it in boiling water.

"He's lost a lot of blood and will need a transfusion. What's your blood type?" She asked Wade

"O Negative" Wade Answered "But I don't know his blood type"

"O Negative people are universal donors, doesn't matter" Polly said "What's his name?"

"Hasil' Wade said "Hasil Farrell"

Polly leaned over Hasil as she checked his pulse. "Hasil, can you hear me Hun?" Hasil did not open his eyes, but nodded slightly. "My name is Polly and I'm going try to help you. I'll going to give you something for the pain and to make you sleep while I take this bullet out."

* * *

 

It was almost 3am, and Hasil was resting on the couch in Ledda's living room. All evidence of the medical procedures had been placed in a garbage bag along with the supplies used to clean the police vehicle and removed by Wade. He destroyed them in the incinerator at the Medical Examiner's office.

Using field medicine techniques, Polly managed to remove the bullet and provide a blood transfusion. It wasn't hospital grade treatment, but it saved his life – so far. He was showing no signs of fever at this point and his pulse was steady. She was worried about internal bleeding and damage caused by the bullet. Wade was very clear that if Hasil went to the hospital, he would likely be headed to jail. Polly was concerned she would have to make a choice for him between living and living free. Since he was a Farrell, she was fairly sure which he would choose for himself.

Ledda stayed up to watch Hasil while Wade and Polly got some rest. She fully realized at this point, she was in deep – this was not just organizing and protesting. She recalled a conversation with Gordon where he told her there was always more they could do. But he advised the more you do, the more cautious you need to be. He gave her advice on steps to fight the enemy, protect herself, and avoid being tracked or followed. She got a lesson in thinking and acting like she was at war that day.

She followed her brother as he was leaving for the mine and stopped him before he got into his truck. Ledda gave him the burner phone and told him to leave his phone here so he couldn't be tracked by it. Wade stared at her for a moment before complying silently.

While she was still working on adrenaline, she began to strategize – they were at war and the frontline was her home.

* * *

 

Hasil is walking through the trees on Shay Mountain. It's a perfect day; the sun shining, the air is sweet, and he's surrounded by the deep green forest. As he walks, time seems to stand still. He has no destination in mind, just enjoying the wonders of his home. He had expected to come to a clearing by now, but he continued to be surrounded by trees. He felt a small hand slip inside his and tried to look down to see who it belonged to – but all he could see was the trees surrounding him.

He heard a small voice "Fa, are you coming home?"

* * *

 

Sally Ann rolled over and looked at the clock - again. It was 0530AM; she tossed and turned most of the night restless and afraid of having another nightmare. She felt so helpless. She couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right, but she had no way to get in touch with Hasil or check on him.

Feeling a little nauseous, she decided to get up and make some toast and tea. While the water was warming for her tea, she turned on the TV and checked the new channels again. The big story was a dam breaking at Greenpoint mine. She wasn't sure where that was, but they didn't mention Shay Mountain in any of the stories – she was encouraged by that.

"Well, let's start our day little one. Maybe we can take a nap this afternoon." She still wasn't convinced that was the baby moving last, it could have just been her nerves. But she liked to think they were working together to send out love to bring Hasil home safely.

* * *

 

At 609AM, Wade's phone rang. Wade Answered, "Houghton here"

"Sheriff Houghton, this is Jack Atkins with Kentucky Emergency Management" Wade was suddenly wide awake "What's going on?"

"We have an emergency situation. The Dam at Greenpoint mine burst. There are millions, maybe billions, of gallons of waste water flooding the valley. There is no threat of flood to your town, but the slurry has already overtaken Greenpoint creek in Lubben County. We expect the Black River to be over run within an hour. "

Shocked, Wade asked "What's the plan?"

Mr. Atkins took a deep breath, "The Governor has declared a state of Emergency and requested FEMA assistance. We need you to get your Local Command Center up and running. Your local Emergency Manager is being notified right now as well. Your Water intake from the Black River is being shut off. There will be a call at 7AM and an open line will be established at that time. Good luck Sheriff.""You to Jack, Thank you" Wade hung up the phone and yelled for Ledda.


	7. Chapter 7

Wade Houghton was exhausted, bone tired. As he sat in Matt Myers office, it took what little strength he had to refrain from drawing his weapon and shooting the bastard in the head.

He finally spoke "You must think I'm stupid"

Myers smirked "As a matter of fact…."

Wade cut him off "You got an order from the county judge relieving me of my duties as Sheriff?"

Red faced, Myers spat "I don't need an order!"

Wade sighed, it was his turn to smirk "As a matter of fact, you do. See, I'm an appointed official – not an elected official" He stood and met Myers glare with his own "Appointed by the judge on account of the death of the Elected Sherriff – means I can only be removed by the judge or by election of a new Sheriff. I looked into confirming that lil fact once I realized you're a piece of shit in the pocket of the coal company."

"I'll have that order within the hour" Myers fumed.

"Maybe" Wade said "But while I'm still Sheriff imma go check the logs on that unsecured piece of evidence you claim came from a crime scene. The one you got your greasy hands all over. I got some concerns about the chain of custody."

As he reached for the door, Wade looked over at his adversary – unable to hide his disgust "You're stupid"

* * *

 

Hasil sat resting with his back against a tree; soaking up the warmth and watching the clouds float by in the clear blue sky. He'd walked for a long spell and couldn't find the clearing. Still surrounded by the deep green of Shay Mountain, he decided to sit down for just a few minutes and rest. Hasil couldn't remember a time when he'd been this tired. Still that little hand stayed in his, persistently whispering and tugging. He wished he could see who it was so he could ask to be let be; he was so tired he just wanted to rest on his mountain in peace.

* * *

 

Sally Ann was on edge. Something was wrong, she knew it. When she met Mrs. Walton and Kyla this morning, she found out that Greenpoint mine wasn't that far from Shay Mountain. It was the mine that had been used up and closed by One Planet, the reason they needed a new mountain top.

Once again, Sally Ann was grateful for Mrs. Walton's generosity. She'd been up watching the news at 4am, heard about the dam bursting, and woke Kyla. They went out and bought bottled water, Sally Ann was given several cases and large jugs of water. They planned to drop the rest at the church on the way out of town. By the time they left the DMV, it was announced the water intake from Black River was shut off and the town would be running on reserves. Until further notice, it was drought conditions.

She had been home from her appointments for almost an hour. She took care of the car title, auto, and health insurance. She was now glued to the TV looking for any sign that Hasil or his family might be involved in this madness.

"There are also unconfirmed reports from nearby residents that gunfire was exchanged last night between the private company hired to guard the company's warehouse and an unknown group" Sally Ann sat up, her heart pounding in her chest "but apparently any evidence of this would have been washed away in the flood authorities are now telling us"

"Hasil…"Sally Ann stood up, fear and anger swirling around her. Her hand flew to her mouth and tears began to stream down her face, closing her eyes she took deep breaths. She needed to do something, but what?!

Sally Ann recalled her conversation with Ms. Joyce about Hasil. She said her husband's family had a farm on the other side of Shay Mountain. They used to do some trading with the Farrell's, maybe she could get in touch with someone who could help her get up the mountain.

Sally Ann needed to find Ms. Joyce.

* * *

 

Ledda sat next to Hasil and took his hand. Closing her eyes, she pictured the little boy who came to her as she prayed for Hasil.

"Lord, you entrusted me with this boy – I am trying to follow your plan, and I pray saving his life is part of that plan. Please God…just please."

Wade walked into the kitchen to see a stressed Polly reaching for the phone. "What's going on?" He asked. Polly looked at him "We need an ambulance now, he has a fever and I can't break it."

Wade shook his head, "No hospitals, he'll end up in state prison!"

"Wade" Polly said "He is going to die if he doesn't get to a hospital"

Running his hand over his face, Wade took a deep breath. "Just let me think for a second" he said, trying to come up with a plan.

"You and Ledda drive him; tell the Feds his kin dropped him off here about 30 minutes ago. Said they knew Ledda was the lady trying to save the mountain and asked her to help him. Tell them they wouldn't say what happened to him"

Ledda had joined them and nodded. "Help us get him to the car Wade. Can you find his girlfriend?"

Wade nodded "I'll find someone to track her down"

Wade's first stop was the evidence lock up after leaving Myers office. He confirmed that the map had never been logged as evidence from the escape crime scene. He emailed an electronic copy of the log to himself and Judge Harris. After a quick phone call to the judge, he was confident his job was safe for now. He then told dispatch he could be reached by radio because his phone was dead. He turned off his phone and headed home in time to stop the girls from calling the ambulance.

Wade shook his head; they were in unbelievably deep shit here. Despite the confident talk when he faced Myers, he had no idea how to fix this situation.

He exhaled and said to himself "One problem at a time Houghton." He needed to find Farrell's girl and get her to the hospital. He dialed Butch's number from another burner phone, courtesy of Ledda. He'd have to remember to ask where she got all these phones and when she became a criminal mastermind.

* * *

 

Sally Ann found Ms. Joyce at the library, but she wasn't able to put her in touch with anyone. The farm had been sold years ago, the there had been no contact with the Farrell's since the mid 70's.

Joyce was doing her best to comfort Sally Ann when Frieda walked into the library.

The look on her face froze Sally Ann in her seat. She stopped breathing as Frieda took her hand and said softly

"We need to get to the hospital Honey. Hasil is on the way there now, he was shot. I'll drive"

 


	8. Chapter 8

Ledda drove and Polly sat in the back with Hasil. The seats in the van were folded in to allow him to lie down. Polly held his hand and talked to him. "Come on Hasil, you have people who need you here. Stay with us!" She pressed the cold towel to his forehead and assured him "Wade is gonna find Sally Ann, he'll get her to the hospital "

Ledda said "We'll be there in 5 minutes, how is his breathing?"

Polly replied "Shallow, but steady. He's still burning up Ledda, and his pulse is getting weaker. When I took his blood pressure, it was a low. I think there's damage to his spleen"

Ledda prayed silently "Please God" Aloud, she said to Polly "3 minutes"

* * *

 

Sitting at Casey's Diner, two blocks from Blackburn Memorial, Wade was on his second cup of coffee waiting for breakfast. He hadn't eaten in 18 hours and was operating on less than 3 hours sleep. After making the call to Butch, Wade staged himself close to the hospital. Hospitals are legally required to report gunshot victims to law enforcement. Wade wanted to be the first to respond. He needed to try to keep the Feds off of the Farrell kid while he came up with a plan.

He replayed the conversation with Gordon in his head "Just know, that Matt Myers and his friends don't know what they think they know" What the hell did that mean?

Gordon said he planted malware in One Planets computers and had proof that Myers had something to do with Haylie Grimes murder. Proof that the State and One Planet contracted poisoning of the soil and water on Shay Mountain and that Haylie was killed to keep her from going to the States Attorney with the evidence.

Wade had asked what he was getting out of all this "You get all the emails and documents it takes to save this town and that mountain" Gordon said.

It would be nice to have those documents right about now, but Wade had no idea how or when Gordon would get them to him. He needed to check his email. He hoped it would be sooner rather than later, this David and Goliath shit was getting old.

* * *

 

Sally Ann shook her hands and released the anguish that had been building with a sob. Sitting in the back seat of her car with Ms. Joyce, she did her best to compose herself and think clearly. She held Joyce's hand and took several deep breaths.

Through tears, she said to Frieda; "Tell me what you know"

Looking at Sally Ann in the rearview mirror, Frieda said "Butch got a call that some of Hasil's kin brought him down the mountain and left him with the ladies running the Save Shay Mountain group. He'd been shot, and the ladies are taking him to the hospital. He's alive, but they don't know how bad he is hurt."

Sally Ann nodded as Ms. Joyce put her arm around her shoulder, taking another deep breath "He's alive" She whispered aloud.

Mrs. Joyce held her tight "Yes he is sweetie, you focus on that. He's alive and Farrell's are born fighters, he won't give up and neither should you"

Frieda agreed, "Hasil loves you and will fight like hell to stay with you, okay?"

Sally Ann exhaled, "I know, I know. When did you get the call?"

Frieda replied "About 25 minutes ago. I didn't want to tell you over the phone, so we came looking for you. When you weren't home, we came straight to the library."

"Where's Butch?" Sally Ann asked

"He dropped me off; he can't come to hospital, at least not right now. There will be a lot of law around with what went on and all. Its best for Hasil that Butch not show his face until things settle down a bit."

Sally Ann nodded, tears starting to spill again.

Frieda's heart hurt for her friend "We'll be there in about 5 minutes Honey"

* * *

 

Ledda pulled up to the emergency room and ran inside.

"I need some help, please! I have a young man in my van, he's been shot."

The woman at the nursing station reacted instantly; Ledda heard her calling for a gurney and a doctor.

Two orderlies rushed out with a gurney, Dr. Brian Keith, the newest resident in the ER following close behind.

As the doctor climbed into the back of the van to take a look at Hasil, he was surprised to see Polly there.

"What's going on Polly?"

"Some of his kin dropped him off at Ledda's; he's been shot Dr. Keith. They said they tried to patch him up, but were afraid he was gonna die. They asked us to get him help"

As Polly spoke, Dr. Keith quickly examined Hasil. His pupils were enlarged and his pulse was weak, but rapid.

A nurse ran out and Dr. Keith turned to her. "He's going into shock. Let's get him on oxygen and fluids right away. Blood type him and set up a transfusion too. "He stepped out of the van and allowed the orderlies to transfer Hasil to a gurney.

Polly had treatment privileges at Blackburn memorial, as she exited the van she said "I'd like to help." Dr. Keith nodded. "You can order an MRI STAT and have an OR prepped"

"I know this dude" one of the orderlies said "I just saw him fight night before last in Tennessee, he's a Farrell."

* * *

 

As Wade paid for his breakfast, the call he'd been waiting for came over the radio.

"Gunshot victim reported at Blackburn Memorial. Need a unit to respond"

Wade answered the call "Copy dispatch, I'm enroute" he answered as the jogged to his vehicle.

As Wade turned out of parking lot, he hit the lights and sirens. Time to go to work.

* * *

 

Sally Ann walked into the ER flanked by Ms. Joyce and Frieda. Her heart was pounding as she approached the information counter "My boyfriend was brought in, they said he was shot. His name is Hasil Farrell"

"Let me get the admitting nurse" the woman behind the counter said "Please take a seat in the waiting room, she'll be with you as soon as she can."

"Thank you" Said Ms. Joyce, as they led Sally Ann over to the some empty seats.

A few moments later a nurse approached, accompanied by the Sherriff. Sally Ann stood to meet them with Frieda and Ms. Joyce by her side

"Hello, I'm Michelle Martin; the admitting nurse for Mr. Farrell. He doesn't have an ID or a medical file, but the Sheriff tells me you're his domestic partner? You live together?"

Sally Ann nodded "Yes, we live together and we're having a baby. Is he okay?"

"He needs emergency surgery, they're prepping him now. Seeing tears begin to fall, Michelle took Sally Ann's hand before continuing "An MRI showed internal bleeding and damage to the spleen. We don't know how extensive until the doctor gets him in the OR."

Sally Ann exhaled, grateful for the any information. "Can I see him?"

Michelle said hesitantly "He's sedated; he wouldn't know you were there"

"I know, it's just…I need…." Sally Ann struggled for words.

Michelle squeezed her hand "Come with me, we can sneak in real quick. One of these ladies can come with you"

Michelle guided Sally Ann and Frieda back to the OR prep area. As she walked down the hallway, someone was wheeling a gurney towards them.

"Hasil!" Sally Ann exclaimed and hurried forward. As she looked at Hasil lying there, so still and pale her head started spinning. Michelle and Frieda steadied her, and she took his hand. Putting her forehead to his, she whispered through tears "I love you Hasil Farrell. Remember, you promised you'd always come back to me. I'll right be here waiting for you. See you soon."

* * *

 

Lying on his back under the Shay Mountain sun, Hasil was exhausted. His eyes felt heavy and there was a weight on his chest. He tried to tell himself that it was okay to stay here, no need for him to get up. But every time he let himself think that; the weight on his chest got heavier, the tugging became more insistent, and the whispering got louder.

He forced his eyes open and found himself staring into a pair of brilliant brown eyes. Those were Sally Ann's eyes, but it wasn't her voice that said "you gotta come back, please Fa!"

Sally Ann and the Baby! Hasil struggled to his feet, he didn't know who he had to fight to get back but he was knew he was gonna win.

 


	9. Chapter 9

Wade turned to Ms. Joyce as Sally Ann and Frieda walked away with the nurse. "Afternoon Ma'am"

Joyce eyed him warily "Good afternoon Sheriff Houghton"

Wade continued "Are you close to that young lady?"

Joyce responded "I've known her since she was in high school; she's a sweet girl and a dear friend"

"Maybe you can help me then" Wade said "It won't be long before there's federal law enforcement here. I would like to talk to her before they get here. They are gonna be looking for anybody they can to hang this mess on, and the state is pointing them at the Farrell's"

"And you don't agree with that?" Joyce asked – looking Wade in the eye to gauge his sincerity.

"No ma'am, I don't. I believe the mining company and certain persons at the state level are responsible for all the recent troubles in town. The Farrell's aren't innocent, but they didn't start this. They just want to be left alone."

Joyce stared at Wade for a moment before nodding. "What can I do?"

"I need to gather statements and information; they're gonna to try to get an arrest warrant for this kid. I'm hoping to gather enough information to keep that from happening." Wade explained.

Looking toward Ledda in the corner of the waiting area, Wayne continued. "I need to interview my sister and the other lady that brought him here. Then I'll need to interview Miss Lewis. I know she is under a strain right now, but we gotta be timely"

Joyce nodded "I'll talk to her" Wade looked relieved "Thank you ma'am.

* * *

 

Wade moved over to where Ledda was sitting. He had his note pad ready and made a show of interviewing her "What happened Ledda?"

Ledda recited the rehearsed story on how Hasil came to be at her home and bringing him to the hospital.

Wade asked "Why didn't you call 911 to report this or get him transported to the hospital?"

Ledda said "I don't know, I guess we just thought it would be faster to bring him ourselves"

"Umm Hmm" Wade continued, "Do you know the victim? Or any of his kin folk?"

"Never met him before today, I don't know any of the Farrell's" Ledda responded

"Why'd they pick you? How'd they know where the house was?" Wade asked

"I don't know Wade!" Ledda's frustration was genuine, she was tired and this was irritating. "They did ask if I was the lady trying to save the mountain, but I don't know how they would know that or where I live."

Wade saw Sally Ann and Frieda walk out and sit next to Ms. Joyce. To Ledda he said "We'll need a signed statement from you. One of the deputies is on the way down to take it, you need to wait here.

As Wade stood up, he saw Deputy Fults pull up and stepped outside to get an update from him.

"Anything new on the dam burst?" Wade questioned

"Nothing new, just monitoring for now. FEMA team is supposed to be here tomorrow, so meeting's scheduled for 1400."Fults replied.

"Update for today still scheduled for 1600?" Wade responded. Fults nodded and asked "What's going on here?"

"One of the Farrell's was shot. His kin bought him down to get help, dropped em at Ledda's place. I need you to take a statement from Ledda. I'm gonna interview the kid's girlfriend, then you get a statement from her too. We gotta do the same with the doctor and Polly as soon as he's out of surgery. I don't want this turned into a Federal case."

Fults nodded "Yeah, they're trying to free somebody up to get over here. We probably got 90 minutes at most before they get here."

* * *

 

Arlene Perez finished reading the email from Tim a 3rd time. She had tried to respond with follow up questions, but received an error message that the account was no longer active. He is such an asshole!

She closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose…this is bad, really bad. She picked up the phone to make a call to her boss – she hoped to be on the way to Kentucky on the first flight tomorrow and she was going to need a team.

* * *

 

In the OR, Dr Keith examined the stitches on Hasil's wound. He looked at Polly, not taking his eyes off hers while extending his hand for the scissors. This was Army work, not mountain medicine. There was something Polly wasn't telling him.

Polly could tell Dr. Keith realized something wasn't right, and with her eyes promised an explanation. He nodded and began removing the stitches around the gunshot wound. Regardless of what Polly was doing, he had a life to save.

* * *

 

Matt Myers slammed down the phone. No order to remove Wade from office, so now he was one step behind Barney Got Damn Fife! He didn't really plan to take the map to the states attorney; he knew it wouldn't hold up. He was hoping to bluff Wade into resigning, which was the easiest way to get rid of him. Matt knew he was aiding the Farrell's somehow but since Wade called his bluff, now he had to try and prove it. It was his own fault for underestimating Wade. There was too much at stake, so one way or another – Houghton had to go.

* * *

 

As Wade approached Sally Ann for an interview, he prepared himself for some hostility. He didn't know how much the kid told her, but he was sure she wasn't going to be a fan.

"Miss Lewis, I'm….." Wade started

"I know who you are." Sally Ann stated, the look in her eyes also told him she knew what he'd done "Let's get this over with."

"Okay." Wade said, getting down to business. "So you and Hasil Farrell live together?"

"Yes" Sally Ann replied

"When was the last time you saw him prior to today?" Wade continued.

"Monday morning about 2am" Sally Ann replied. "He left to go up Shay Mountain to check on his family"

"Was there something going on?" Wade prodded. Sally Ann shook her head "Not that I know of, he was worried because they came on a run for flour and water. Those were things they shouldn't be lacking on the mountain."

"Do you know where he was at about 10pm on Sunday night?" Wade asked.

"We were together, riding home from Tennessee with Butch and Frieda. He had a fight there that night." Sally Ann provided details about the location and time of the fight. Frieda showed Wade several videos and social media posts that confirmed Hasil was in TN when the dynamite was stolen.

"Did you hear from him while he was gone?" Wade inquired

"No, there's no cell service up there." Sally Ann sighed "I just had to wait for him to come home."

Wade nodded "Okay, thank you miss. Deputy Fults will be over to take a formal statement when he is done."

Sally Ann looked over at Deputy Fults and Ledda "Who is she?" she asked.

"Ledda Dobbs" Wade replied "She's one of the ladies that brought him here"

As Wade walked toward the desk, Sally Ann called his name. He turned around to find himself face to face with her. "Ms. Joyce believes you're trying to do the right thing, and I hope she's right. Hasil risked a lot to help you put things right. You better look out for him." She said firmly.

Wade started to pretend he didn't know what she meant, but the pain and determination in her eyes stopped him. He just nodded "I'm doing my best, you have my word"

* * *

 

Coming out of the OR, Dr. Keith felt good about the procedure. They'd repaired a Laceration of the Spleen successfully. The kid was pretty fortunate the damage wasn't more extensive. His prognosis for recovery was very good. As Polly walked out of the OR, he motioned to her to join him in the prep room.

"What's going on Polly? The cops, hell the feds, are going to be asking questions about this kid. Those stitches weren't done by a mountain healer."

Polly nodded, she owed him the truth. "I stitched him up. We were going to try to keep him out of the hands of the law. The coal company is exercising their influence and doing everything they can to get them off that mountain. We were afraid they were going to try to tie him to the shooting up at the mine warehouse last night. But I couldn't get the fever under control, so we had to get him here."

Dr. Keith nodded; he wasn't a fan of One Planet or what they were doing to this town. "We got an alert to look out for gunshot victims, but he doesn't match the profile. That wound was 24-36 hours old and that was barely a Grade II laceration of the spleen. No way he was shot by an M4."

Polly knew what a M4 bullet looked like, and that's what she pulled out of him.

"Brian" She started, "You don't have to…"

Dr. Keith put up his hand to stop her "Polly, I respect you – but I'm not going to lie for you or anyone else. The stitches probably won't even come up and the rest of what I am saying is evidenced in the MRI and X-ray. The inflammation and condition of the tissue indicate the wound was made by a small caliber weapon and has aged 24-36 hours. I need to go give his family an update."

Polly couldn't make herself move as he walked out. What he was saying wasn't possible. He must be trying to cover for her. Exiting the prep room, she found a work station and called up the MRI results. As she scanned the image, she placed her hand over her heart and stared….."Impossible"

* * *

 

Sally Ann, Frieda, and Ms. Joyce came to their feet as Dr. Keith walked toward them.

"Miss Lewis" he said, "I'm Dr. Keith. Mr. Farrell came through the surgery well. We were able to repair the laceration to his spleen. He'll need to stay with us for 3-4 days to ensure he is healing properly and there are no complications. You should be able to see him in about an hour."

Sally Ann let out the breath she had been holding "So he's going to be okay?"

Dr Keith smiled "Yes, as long as behaves here and follows the discharge instructions – he should make a full recovery."

Barely able to see through tears, Sally Ann hugged Dr. Keith "Thank you! Thank you so much Dr!"

"It's my pleasure. Someone will come out for you once he is settled in his room."

Wade waited for Dr. Keith near the nurses' station, relieved to see Sally Ann hug the Doc – that must mean good news.

"How is he Doc" Wade asked

"He'll make a full recovery. I suppose you want to know what we found during exam."

Wade nodded, "Yeah, you know how it is – we gotta investigate these type of things"

Dr. Keith said "I understand Sheriff. He had a Grade II laceration to the spleen. Barely a Grade II, standard for a Grade I is less than 10% tissue damage- he was at 12%. The inflammation and condition of the tissue indicate the wound was made by a small caliber weapon and has aged 24-36 hours."

Wade tried to hide his surprise. He had seen Hasil get shot, less than 12 hours ago by a roof top sniper.

"Um, is that your opinion or can you prove that?" Wade asked

"That is fact. We can provide a copy of the MRI with a subpoena. If there is nothing else Sheriff, I need to get back to work"

Wade nodded "Thank you Doc. If you could just fill out the hospital report and get it turned in as soon as you can"

"Of course Sheriff. If you'll excuse me….." Dr. Keith said and headed back toward the exam area.

Wade walked toward Ledda and Polly in the waiting room. Polly's look of shock mirrored his own, and he asked "Is he covering….?" Polly shook her head "No Wade, I saw the MRI myself – it's impossible, but it's true"

Ledda smiled "I told you God had a plan"

Wade rolled his eyes and shook his head. "I know what I saw….." He stopped mid-sentence as 3 blacked out SUV's pulled into the emergency room drive. ATF.

Ledda's phone rang, it was an unknown number.

"Hello? Yes, this is Ledda Dobbs." Ledda listened as she watched 12 Federal Agents stride into the ER. "Yes, Yes, okay – thank you Ms. Perez. See you tomorrow."

She looked at Wade and Polly "That was Arlene Perez from the national chapter of the ACLU. Gordon contacted her. They are sending two teams down here tomorrow. She recommends we not answer any questions from federal investigators without representation."

As Wade walked forward to meet the ATF Agent in Charge, he wondered how the hell he was supposed manage that.

* * *

 

It was dark, but Hasil finally reached that clearing. The heaviness was gone from his chest and he could feel hope in the sweet air. Ready for new wonders, Hasil sat down to wait for the sun to rise.

 


	10. Chapter 10

Li'l Foster watched G'win sleeping as he held their daughter, Ray. The birth was a trial, but both G'win and Ray fought hard. Still weak from the Kinnah knife wound, G'win bled heavy and last night was a hard one. When she finally woke and saw Ray with her own eyes, Li'l Foster knew she wouldn't let anything take her from this child.

Lil Foster stood, handing the baby to Annalivia. There was a clan gathering to take place before the elders and he needed to be there. "If G'win wakes, please let he know I'll be back directly."

Annalivia nodded as she took the baby "Don't concern yourself, I will look after both of em"

Lil Foster walked away from the only peace on this mountain for him toward a hornets' nest.

Emelye called the meeting to order. Looking out at her kin gathered, she prayed silently that they were ready to listen and come together.

"Clan e`isteacht liom – Ni neart go cur le che`le (Clan, hear me. There is no strength without unity)"

Stepping forward to face the group, Emelye continued "We face a great challenge from outside this clan; we must stand united if we are to survive. We held a circle this morn and all who chose to speak had a say. The Elders are ready to make our proclamation"

"The oath every Bre'nin takes says "If the Oak be taken in a manner impure, the Bre'nin will not endure" Foster Farrell VI killed his mother to take the Oak. The Oak was taken in an impure manner; he is not the rightful Bre'nin"

Emelye was watching the crowd as she spoke, and so was Big Foster. They both saw his support fading in the face of this truth. As voices of started to rise, Emelye raised her hand to ask for silence as she continued.

"As for the prophecy, it says the returned one will save us and be Bre'nin. The spirit of Elon indeed stopped the coal machines, but the spirit of a boy can't be Bre'nin and we are not saved Clan. We have poisoned water and soil and a ruined smokehouse."

There was silence among the clan, and slowly people began to nod.

"A Farrell killed a Farrell. Our troubles began with that deed and have only been made worse by war mongering. The Oak passed on to G'win was made impure by Big Foster. We rule to follow the line, that means Foster Farrell VIII be the rightful Bre'nin. Foster, what say you?"

Lil Foster stood and looked at his kin. So many gone and all of them here forever changed because of recent events. He did not know if he was willing or able to take the Oak. "Elders – I do not take the passage lightly. I need time to ponder on this; I would like to answer after the birth celebration of baby Ray."

Emelye consulted the other elders quietly and spoke for the group "Very well, we will meet again in 5 days to hear your decision."

As the crowd moved away, Phil 'up turned to Big Foster "You ain't gonna …" Big Foster put up hand and gestured towards the woods.

When they were clear, Phil 'up started again "You ain't gonna let that stand, are you?

"He couldn't lead a cow out of a barn…. Won't know what to do with that Oak. Who you think he's gonna go to for council?" Phil 'up looked skeptical as Big continued "Him being Bre'nin means I'm Bre'nin."

* * *

 

Wade was frustrated. The Feds weren't making any attempt to hide their determination to pin this on the Farrell kid.

"That Doctor is full of shit." Agent Coats seethed "It can't be a coincidence that this guy turns up shot less than 12 hours after the threat against One Planet and the action at the warehouse."

Wade nodded "Deputy Fults got all the statements, we're gonna get them over to the judge to request a subpoena for the MRI results and a search warrant."

Matt Myers had warned Coats that the Sheriff was colluding with the Farrell Clan. He didn't see any evidence of that, but Houghton obviously wasn't ready to play in the majors. "You think you got enough for that?"

Wade shrugged "I don't know, the judge has helped us out a few times if we've got a good hunch we'll find something to boost a case"

"I'd appreciate that Sheriff, anything you can do to jumpstart this thing – we don't have much to go on at this point" Coats said and extended his hand to Wade. A Win/Win – let the local guy feel like he is helping out and take advantage of his connections at the same time.

"Sure thing" Said Wade, knowing the judge would turn down the request due to lack of evidence and that denial would carry weight in any other requests should they try to bypass the local judge. Judges tend to stick together.

"You mind if I take a run at the girlfriend?" Coats asked?

Wade was hesitant "She's kinda stressed right now, I'm not sure if this is a good time."

"It's the perfect time" Coats said "Maybe I can rattle her and she'll let something slip. Come on." He said as he began to walk toward Sally Ann, Ms. Joyce, and Frieda.

Shit! Wade thought as he trailed behind, this could get ugly.

Coats strode authoritatively up to the women. "Which of you is Sarah Ann Lewis?"

Sally Ann looked at Frieda and then Ms. Joyce – then she spoke up "I'm Sally Ann Lewis"

"Umm hmm" Coats said dismissively. 'I'm Special Agent Coats with the ATF. I'll need you to answer some questions for me. Let's step outside please"

Sally Ann shook her head "I can't go anywhere. They'll be coming for me as soon as Hasil is settled in his room"

"Your boyfriend isn't going anywhere Sarah Ann, so let's step outside…"

Frieda and Sally started to speak "Her name ain't…..I'm not going…."

Joyce stood up and smiled. "Officer Coats" She started…..he corrected her "Agent Coats"

Nodding, she continued "May we see your credentials Officer Coats"

Again he corrected her "It's Agent Coats. And you are?"

Joyce smiled "I know its Agent Coats, using an incorrect name or title to rattle someone is the oldest trick in the book! Can't get anything by you. I'm Joyce Moore."

Coats stared at Joyce, sizing her up. "My business is with Miss. Lewis."

"Oh, I don't think Sally Ann minds if I speak on her behalf here, after all she is dealing with an extremely stressful personal situation. You wouldn't want to take unfair advantage of that I'm sure." Joyce said evenly, meeting his eyes. Without turning away she asked Sally Ann "Do you mind dear?"

Sally Ann shook her head "No Ma'am"

Joyce asked Coats again "Your credentials please Agent Coats?" She closely examined the ID he presented confirming he was a Special Agent with ATF.

"Thank you Agent Coats. Do you plan to arrest Miss Lewis?" Joyce asked

"Nobody said anything about an arrest, I just need to ask her some questions" Coats said, losing patience.

"Are you in charge of this detail?" Joyce asked

"I'm the AIC" Coats said

"To be Agent in Charge you must be fairly senior and knowledgeable. I'm sure know your need does not equal grounds to compel Miss. Lewis to step outside with you or answer any questions. If you felt confident you had grounds, you would arrest her. Or maybe not, since you would need to advise her of her Miranda Rights – that explain her right to remain silent."

Coats tried to back track "I am just trying to do my job….."

"Your job description doesn't require you to bully or badger pregnant women in hospital waiting rooms. Miss Lewis spoke to the Sheriff and gave a statement to Deputy Fults. I am confident your agency can obtain a copy of that report. Should you have any further questions, Miss Lewis will consider answering those when she is in a better frame of mind, at a time that is convenient for her, and with representation present."

Coats knew when to back off. He put up his hands and said "Understood. Here is my card if there is any new information you'd like to share," He handed Joyce his card and turned and walked away. His team followed him out of the ER.

Wade, Sally Ann, Frieda, stared at Joyce.

Frieda was the first to speak "You beat that man like you were getting paid to do it!"

Joyce smiled "Not anymore my dear"

Wade asked "So you're a lawyer?"

Joyce nodded "Yes, librarian is my retirement gig. I've been retired for about 6 years but I've kept my license current. I worked for the Innocence Project in criminal defense"

"Thank you Ms. Joyce, I wasn't sure what to do there" Said Sally Ann

"My pleasure dear, it feels good to know I've still got it!"

A nurse approached the group, "Mr. Farrell is settled in his room now. Are you ready to come back Miss Lewis?"

They all stood and Sally Ann said "Yes, thank you" She turned to Joyce and gave her a big hug. "Thank you for everything"

"Anything for you sweetie" Joyce said "I'll be by to check on you tomorrow, but if any other law enforcement show up wanting to interview you or Hasil, let me know. You really shouldn't answer any questions without an attorney present. Okay?"

Sally Ann nodded as Frieda stepped forward to hug her. Frieda said "I'll take the car and go by your place to pack you a bag and bring back some food, okay?"

"Thank you Sis" She said to Frieda. She picked up her purse and followed the nurse back to Hasil's room

* * *

 

The lights were dim in the tiny room, and Hasil lay on the bed - pale and still. Sally Ann walked over to him and took his hand. "Hey Babe" She whispered as she reached out to touch his face.

Nurse Janice introduced herself as they walked down the hall, she would be the floor nurse until the 11pm shift change. "There's a button here to call for help if you need anything. His vitals are being monitored, and everything is holding steady. We will get an alarm anything changes. I heard you were expecting, so we brought in a recliner and linens. Let me know if you need more."

"Thank you" Sally Ann said not taking her eyes off Hasil. "How soon will he wake up?"

"The sedation from the surgery has worn off by now; he's just on pain meds, antibiotics, and fluids. It could be any time now. Talk to him, it helps. You call if you need anything or when he wakes up, okay? Janice said as she walked toward the door.

Sally Ann nodded, suddenly unable to find her voice. She set her purse on the recliner and pulled the small chair in the room close to the bedside. She sat next to Hasil took his hand, resting her head next to his hip. She was so tired. "We're here now Baby, wake up …please"

30 Minutes Later...

Hasil began to stir….without opening his eyes, he knew he was in a strange place – the sounds were not familiar. He felt tied down and these clothes didn't feel like his. He felt a hand in his…..and knew Sally Ann was with him. He wondered why it was so hard to open his eyes.

He took a slow breath and forced his eyes open. His eyes darted around the room, but he didn't move. A hospital? He looked down to see Sally Ann holding his hand, her head resting next to him on the bed, asleep in a chair. What the hell happened? He lifted his other arm to reach across and touch Sally Ann, but it was attached to something. He squeezed her hand and whispered her name, his voice hoarse "Sally Ann?"

 


	11. Chapter 11

Sally Ann's eyes flew open "Hasil!" She sat up and looked straight into his eyes.

Hasil gave her a weak smile and said "Hey Darlin"

Sally Ann immediately burst into tears.

Alarmed, Hasil tried to sit up and was frustrated by all the contraptions attached to him. "Hey, come on now. I'm alright, I'm right here…. c'mere." He reached for her with his free hand and she leaned over the bed to lay her head on his shoulder. Hasil kissed her hair and held her while she cried.

After a few moments, Sally Ann sat up and looked at him. "I have to call the nurse and tell her you're awake."

She reached for the call button but Hasil stopped her, "This a hospital?"

Sally Ann nodded, "Yeah, you were shot. Do you remember anything?"

Hasil shook his head, "I can't think real straight right now. I feel weighed down all over. Is the law coming for me?"

"No, at least not right now. They don't know what happened either. Let me get the nurse"

Studying her face, Hasil could see she was afraid and exhausted. When she returned to his side, he took her hand "I'm sorry" he said quietly.

Sally Ann exhaled "I'm just glad you're alive and are gonna be okay. When I didn't know…."Her voice caught and she turned her face away.

Hasil cupped her face and turned her toward him. "I love you." She leaned forward until their foreheads touched. "I love you too Hasil Farrell.

Nurse Janice came in and Sally Ann stepped back, but continued to hold Hasil's hand.

* * *

 

Wade walked into his office after the 1600 briefing. A lot of talking but no action. Until FEMA arrived, things were at a standstill. One thing was clear; the damage would take years to repair.

He sat down to check his email, hoping Gordon sent those documents he promised.

One email caught his eye immediately – from Haylie Grimes received at 1201 AM.

He opened it immediately

" _Sheriff Houghton,_

_I am setting this email on a 3 day delay. If you're reading this, something has happened to me. I'm not sure why I'm sending this; I should just report what I know now. But I'm still hopeful that there are people at One Planet who will do the right thing and that Matt Myers has gone rogue. I lost my marriage and rarely see my child because of this job; I don't want to believe I made those sacrifices for people who would do something like this._

_While I was missing, I was on Shay Mountain. I saw with my own eyes – poisoned fields and water, dead crops. The stench of death in the streams will never leave me. I met a woman who'd just buried her child, he died from that poison. The jars I was carrying when you saw me were samples of the soil and water from Shay Mountain. I've been trying to get them tested, but I've called every lab within 200 square miles and nobody will test the samples for me._

_Matt Myers came to my room tonight and tried to get me to leave town. After he left, I noticed my room key was missing. I called the front desk and asked them change rooms, but no vacancies. They're deactivating the card. I'm afraid of what he is capable of so I need to share this information_

_1.I put a portion of the samples in the salt and pepper jars and hid them near the coffee pot._

_2.There are pictures on my phone of the damage that was done on the mountain by the poison._

_3.One Planet uses a lab in Juarez Mexico to perform any testing necessary. My gut tells me that's where they manufacture the poison they use._

_4.There was a similar accusation in 2015 on a project I worked on with Matt Myers, it was in Bankston WV._

_That's all I have for you. My son's name is John, please make sure he knows I love him and thought of him every single day. Tell my ex-husband I love him and I'm sorry. If I could go back - NY would have never happened and things would be different._

_Haylie Grimes_

Wade put his head in his hands after reading the email a second time. He hadn't thought much of Haylie Grimes, and they hadn't been very nice to each other. But she stood up when it mattered and paid the ultimate price. This email certainly helps his case, but it wasn't enough. He forwarded it to both his and Ledda's personnel emails. He wasn't sure who to trust or where to go from here, but he knew Matt Myers was going down. He had work to do tomorrow, but right now – he needed to sleep.

* * *

 

G'win was propped up in bed, nursing Ray. Li'l Foster would swear on a bible that her skin was glowing. He'd never seen a more beautiful sight.

G'win looked at him and said "I've never said this before, and it shames me. Thank you for taking care of me. Not just last night, but always. You're the reason I'm alive, I wouldn't have survived Phelia….." G'win stopped, and held in a sob "Lord, I haven't said her name out loud since we buried her!"

Li'l Foster moved from his chair to sit next to her on the bed. He leaned forward to kiss first G'win and then Ray.

"I love you, and I'd do it all again." Putting his finger in Ray's tiny little fist he smiled "Look at my reward!"

G'win smiled "She looks like you; I hope she has your heart"

Foster looked at G'win "I hope she has your spirit and fire"

"What are you gonna do Foster?" G'win asked

Taking a deep breath, Li'l Foster slowly let it out. "I don't know. I got some time to think on it. Right now, I just want to love and be loved – right here in this house with you and our daughter. Cause whatever I do, things ain't never gonna be the same."

* * *

 

Dr. Keith examined Hasil and was pleased with his progress. His wound was draining well and his vitals were good. He explained that Hasil needed to stay in bed until tomorrow afternoon, and then they would try a short walk to the bathroom.

"What am I s'posed to do if I need to go before tomorrow?" Hasil asked

"That's what the catheter is for" Said Dr. Keith

Looking at the various tubes and lines connected to him, he said ."Which one of these is a catheter?"

"A catheter drains your bladder. You'll have to look a little lower to find it" Dr. Keith smiled. "I'll check on your once more before my shift is done." He said as he walked out.

Hasil looked a Sally Ann "What's he talking about"

Sally Ann smiled "The bladder is the organ in our bodies where urine….pee…..is stored" Here comes the part he was NOT going to like "They insert a catheter to drain the urine so you don't have to go to the bathroom ….. It's a tube that goes into where the urine comes out"

Hasil's eyes got wide as he started to understand; he threw the blanket aside and lifted the neck of his gown to look down. When he finally looked up at Sally Ann, she saw fear and shock on his face.

"How come I can't feel that?! Am I gonna be able to….?! I'd rather stay shot!" He said, his voice raised

Sally Ann was quick to reassure him "The pain medication is making you numb, so you don't feel any discomfort. You'll be fine" She said, leaning over to kiss him "I'll prove it to you once you're feeling better"

Hasil put his head back and exhaled "I don't like this place; I ain't staying here no 4 days."

It was Sally Ann's turn to raise her voice "Hasil Farrell you almost died! You're not leaving here a minute before the doctor says its okay….I'm not going….."

Hearing the panic in her voice, Hasil raised his hand to her face "Hey, stop…..I'm sorry. I'm just…" He exhaled "I promise I'll stay put and mind the doctor. Okay?"

Sally Ann took a deep breath and nodded.

"All this getting worked up ain't good for the baby" he stated, with a tired edge to his voice

Sally Ann did a double take, but the phone ringing stopped her response. She glared at Hasil through narrowed eyes as she answered "Hello?"

"There is a Frieda Atkins here to visit" said the voice on the end of the line

"Thank you" Replied Sally Ann "She can come back."

Sally Ann grabbed the blanket and covered Hasil. "Saved by the bell" she said "Frieda's here, she's bringing me clothes and food"

Hasil closed his eyes and nodded. He wasn't hungry, he just wanted to sleep.

There was a tap on the sliding door to the room and Sally Ann opened it to let Frieda in.

"Hey" She whispered "How's he doing"

Without whispering, Sally Ann said "He'll live, unless says something else to me about getting worked up."

Hasil rolled his eyes without opening them. This is gon' be a long 4 days, he thought to himself.

* * *

 

Ledda sat at the kitchen table and polished off her second glass of wine. Wade was asleep and the kids were all staying with a cousin for the night.

The last 24 hours had been insane. She thought about Haylie Grimes email and found herself fighting back tears. She missed Breece everyday and her girls had to grow up without one of their parents, and now so did Haylie's son. So much death and destruction, all driven by greed. Ledda still felt that God had a plan, she just hoped her patience would let it unfold.

"Gordon or Tim, whatever your name is – you better keep your promise" She said aloud, as she poured her 3rd class of merlot.

* * *

 

Hasil woke to find Sally Ann resting in the recliner, reading a book. "Hey" he said "What time is it?"

"Hey Babe, it's about 9 o'clock" She answered. "You need anything?"

Hasil shook his head. "You should get on home so you can get some rest."

"I'm not leaving here until you do" Sally Ann said as she walked over to his bedside.

"Ain't no need…" He began

"Hasil." She said softly as she took his hand "I'm not leaving. We'll leave here together, alright?"

Hasil nodded, knowing there was no changing her mind and that he would do the same. "You can't sleep in that chair." He said as he slowly shifted to one side. He tugged at her hand and said "C'mere"

Sally Ann shook her head "I'll be fine in the chair….."

"C'mere" He said again, but she just looked at him and didn't budge

"Either you're coming up here or I'm movin over there, which one?"

"You are so hard headed!" She said in exasperation.

"C'mere" He said firmly, tugging her hand again.

Sally Ann sighed, and gave up arguing. She gently climbed in bed next to Hasil and laid her head on his shoulder.

His hand came to rest on her backside, and he squeezed softly.

"Hasil…"she warned

"What?" He said "I got a hole in my gut and a tube in my…"

"Hasil!"She giggled and leaned back look at him. Hasil met her eyes with a smile and planted a kiss on her lips.

* * *

 

Joyce sat in her backyard admiring the stars and the perfect view of Shay Mountain. Something powerful had pulled her back to this place and she'd stopped fighting it long ago. She had hoped to keep her past private, but there was no way she was going to stand by and allow Sally Ann to be bullied or badgered. When she left at age 16, she was sure she would never see her home again. Gazing at Shay Mountain, she whispered "What do you want from me?"

 


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Hasil woke in the middle of the night, his chest pounding. He remembered. His head was spinning. He didn't see, he was taking cover behind some barrels. But he knew…Barnabis, Trevor, Levon…all gone. They were all dead! He should'a listened to G'win, he might've stopped em. At least he should'a tried. Big Foster, he was the demon in the prophecy – had to be! Who'd bought more death to the clan than him? He heard Sally Ann call for the nurse...

Wade and Ledda talked strategy over breakfast. The house was quiet without the kids, so they took advantage of the time before Wade needed to leave for the station.

"I'll try to run down info on that missing hotel key." Wade said. "Why don't you try to look online for anything on Bankston WV? "

Ledda nodded "I can do that. You know you're gonna have to get somebody to testify that she was on the mountain and about what she said she saw. At some point, somebody needs to get up there and talk to the Farrell's."

Wade sighed "I know that Ledda, but ain't nothing to testify about if I can't prove she was murdered. One problem at a time. Oh - I been meaning to ask you, how'd you all of a sudden go from homemaker to criminal mastermind?"

"Gordon" Ledda smiled "We had a long talk about doing more and how that made you a target. He gave me a bunch of burner phones, tips on what to look for and how the coal companies cover up stuff. Said they were dangerous people who declared war on the planet, and that they'd declare war on anybody who got in there way."

"Well we need more than burner phones and advice." Wade said "I hope he comes through with the stuff he promised me"

"He's already sent reinforcements; the ACLU team should get here today." Ledda reminded him "I think he'll come through"

* * *

 

Matt Myers hadn't slept much. He spent the night replaying the angry conversation with the Lt. Governor and Don Foushee.

"This was your plan to force the Feds hand?" LT. Governor James shouted "By creating a Got Damn national disaster?!"

Matt tried to reassure him "This obviously wasn't part of my plan, but we can find a way to use….."

Don Foushee cut him off "You got every federal agency and every news channel in the country heading right for Blackburg! You stand the hell down, you hear me?"

"Don" Matt started, but found himself cut off

"Matt, we been through some shit over the years; but this could be the end of us. Stay in the background, do the job they pay you to do and gather intel for me but don't move an inch without my say so." Don said firmly. "I mean it Matt, STAND DOWN! Understand?"

Matt acquiesced "Understood Don, standing down"

The LT Governor spoke up "Anything new comes up; you make sure we know as soon as you know. No more surprises. Get a call on the calendar so you can brief us on the FEMA meeting. That shit head of a Governor is heading to Blackburg for some photo ops and I need to know what's going on down there"

"Yes sir, I'll get Joanie on that first thing. If there is nothing else gentleman, I'll be in touch tomorrow" Matt said. The line abruptly disconnected, Matt was fairly certain Lt. Governor James hung up on him.

That nut job Gordon had obviously double crossed him and Matt was afraid the worst was yet to come. He said as much to Wilkes when they spoke this morning.

"Have you found him?" Matt asked

"Negative, he is ghost" Wilkes responded. "I still have feelers out, but this guy knows how to disappear."

Matt exhaled "Work up a threat analysis based on his MO. We need to be prepared to do some heavy damage control."

"Copy" Said Wilkes "I'll get something to you and Mr. Foushee ASAP."

"Don has his hands full" Matt said "He wants it run through me so he can keep some distance."

"Copy" Wilkes said

* * *

 

Joyce woke early and took her usual place on the back porch for coffee. The sight of the Mountain at sunrise never failed to take her breath away. The only reason she bought this big ole place was because it had the best view in of Shay Mountain and she was so glad she did. She thought it might make her homesick, but it really felt like she and the Mountain were watching over one another.

She still didn't know what Shay Mountain wanted from her, but for now – she was going to try to protect one of its son's. Heading inside to get dressed, she wanted to get to the hospital early.

* * *

 

Arlene Perez and the ACLU team pulled out of the rental car facility at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. The team consisted of herself; who specialized in Environmental Law, Ellison Davis who specialized in Government Misconduct and Whistleblower protection, Paralegal Kathy White, and 4 investigators. The head of the investigation team, Dru Hanson, was with her and the legal team. The other 3 were going in separately and they would only be in contact via phone. They would be more effective if people didn't know they were connected to the ACLU team.

When they hit the highway, she planned to call Ledda Dobbs and give her an ETA. She also needed help; they had only managed to secure one hotel room – which they all decided the investigation team would take. They needed a place to sleep and a war room for the legal team. She was hoping Ledda could point her to someplace suitable. With a disaster of this level, the feds and press had the town booked solid.

As they turned onto the highway, her phone rang. "This is Arlene" She answered

"Lena" A familiar voice on the other end said.

She felt her stomach do that flip it always did when he called her that. "Tim."

"Are you in Blackburg yet?" He asked

"No" she said "but I have a team and we're on the road. I need more information…" She started, but he cut her off

"I mailed a zip drive to Ledda with all the information and documents you'll need. If she doesn't have it already, it should be there today." Tim said

"And where will you be while I'm triaging on your latest battlefield?" Arlene asked

"Lena…." He said. She could hear the smile in his voice. "Thank you for doing this. These are good people."

"And you're still an asshole" She said, unable to keep her voice from going soft.

"Miss you" Tim responded

"Ditto" She said, and the line went dead.

* * *

 

Sally Ann sat in the recliner watching Hasil. The nurse told her that nightmares weren't uncommon in trauma cases, and that the medication didn't help. She assured her that Hasil was fine, but recommended Sally Ann stay in the recliner until he was awake.

That wasn't a nightmare; Sally Ann knew his anguish was real.

Joyce and Frieda both came up to check on them. They'd sat with Hasil while Sally Ann went to the family facilities and took a shower and changed. Alone in the shower, she let herself have a good cry. She was more worried about his broken heart than the gunshot wound. That heart brought her to life and she'd do anything to protect it.

Hasil started to stir and Sally Ann quickly got to her feet and took his hand, wanting him to know she was here.

"I'm right here Baby" She said

He opened his eyes to look at her. "You good?" He asked her

"I'm okay. You okay?" She asked

He nodded and said "Yeah. Remembering those boys being gone just hit me hard, we shouldn't have been there" Hasil exhaled, Sally Ann knew that look – and she knew what was coming next "I gotta stop Big Foster. He won't stop till everybody's dead or ain't nothing left."

Sally Ann closed her eyes tight before responding "You're not in any condition to stop anybody."

Hasil nodded "I know. I'll help the law do it, he's gon' be the ruin of us if he ain't stopped. Not just the mountain, but this town."

"There are some folks coming into town who might be able to help. But we can't do anything today, so please just take it easy" Sally Ann pleaded.

"Alright, taking it easy…..." Hasil said with a yawn "I got me a big trip to the bathroom coming up"

* * *

 

The trip to the hotel provided Wade with a good lead. Someone had attempted to use Haylie's deactivated room key at 10:39 PM the night she died. Wade was able to view video footage from the rear door of the hotel where the attempt was made. He now had a photo of the guy. Wade had seen him with Myers and Gordon. At 10:41 PM, someone who was exiting let him in the back door. What he still didn't know was how he got into Haylie's room.

He was heading to see Donnie; he needed to get some information on the mystery man without Myers getting wind of it.

* * *

 

Li'l Foster rose from his seat to allow Emelye to sit next to G'win and look at Ray. "Such a beautiful lass" She whispered.

"Thank you, she takes after her Fa" G'win answered

Emelye reached into the bag she was carrying, "Then this is a fitting gift." She said handing G'win small cloth wrapped present. G'win handed the baby to Li'l Foster so she could open the gift.

G'win eyes started to mist "St. Brigid's Cross" She breathed.

Emelye nodded. "Protection for you and yours from evil spirits. There are many tales of St. Brigid or Goddess Brigid, she was known as a healer and protector. This clan is sorely in need of both now. I thought it fitting for the spirit of that to hang in this home."

Looking at Li'l Foster, G'win said "Ray Brigid?"

"That's a fine name, Ray Brigid Farrell." Li'l Foster agreed.

Hugging Emelye, G'win thanked her for the gift.

Emelye nodded "I know you've both faced awful trials – the likes that can darken the purest heart. You're both stronger now, and together you can help mend this clan. But whatever path you choose, protect your bond"

* * *

 

It took all Ledda's restraint not to run out and tackle the mail man. She waited until he drove off and quickly grabbed the mail. Tearing open the envelope, she looked the tiny black zip drive and hoped it was the stone they needed to bring down the giant.

Arlene Perez and her team should be about an hour out by now. She'd called Ledda and told her about the zip drive and asked her for help finding a base of operations in town. Ledda had told her about Haylie's letter and what she'd found so far about Bankston. Arlene seemed confident they could get more information on that. They were going to come to Ledda's when they arrived.

So far, Ledda had no luck in finding them a place to stay and work. It wouldn't really be appropriate for them to stay at Wade's place, and Ledda didn't want to uproot the kids to make room here. Out of options, Ledda picked up the phone to see if Joyce was open to having guests. Ledda and Joyce had visited before leaving the hospital last night. Joyce told Ledda she admired what she was trying to do and offered her help.

"Hi Joyce, it's Ledda Dobbs"

* * *

 

Joyce was surprised to hear from Ledda, but agreed to host the ACLU team without hesitation. She had been retired and out of the fray for a few years now, but she was excited to jump back in to help this cause.

On her way home from the hospital, Joyce had spent some time visiting with Hasil and Sally Ann. She would represent them both and walked through how to handle law enforcement.

"Dr. Keith told the ATF team he recommended waiting another 24 hours to request an interview with you, just to make sure you weren't under the influence of sedatives." Joyce said "They'll likely want to interview you tomorrow. I did reach out to Agent Coats and advised him to contact me to arrange a time for questioning."

Both nodded, and Sally Ann asked "Can they start if you aren't here?"

"Neither of you have to answer any questions, if they had enough evidence for an arrest warrant they would have already served it" Joyce assured her.

"I don't remember much after I left our place" Hasil said "But I don't suppose they gonna believe that."

"They've got a copy of your MRI; it shows you were shot within 12 hours of when you headed up the mountain – so that's reasonable. If you don't remember, it's fine to say that." Joyce advised

"My thanks to you for taking us on ma'am" Hasil said, Sally Ann added "Yes, thank you. We don't have experience with this kinda stuff and …."

Joyce cut her off "Please, no thank necessary. I need to help, I feel like you're family."

The visit to Donnie hadn't produced any information on the man who tried to use Haylie's hotel room key. Wade dropped off a copy of the photo with Ledda before coming in for the briefing. The ACLU team had some resources to help run him down. Heading to the evidence lock up, Wade wanted to check Haylie's cell phone call log to see if there was any activity that evening. If that key was deactivated, something else made her open that door.

He'd seen Matt Myers at the FEMA briefing, but both men worked hard to avoid each other. Wade's department would be providing a local liaison to the National Guard troops who would protect the FEMA relief operations. The first week would be experts sampling and surveying while FEMA provided emergency water. There would be a nightly debrief at 1900 and the plans and needs for the next day would be discussed. This was a lot of attention for Blackburg, reporters from all over the world and it seemed like every Federal Agency in the country was represented.

Wade shook his head, this was only day two of what could be an operation of several years. Everyone's in the county was affected; somebody was gonna pay for letting loose a Got Damn Shitnami in his county!

Hasil's trip to the bathroom was a success. Sally Ann smiled, she heard him cheer with excitement – everything was working fine! The walk down the hall and back seemed to take a lot out of him, but she could tell he felt good to be on his feet.

"I saw a lil courtyard out the window; you think they'd let us go outside?" Hasil asked the nurse

"That would probably be okay, if you went in a wheelchair" the nurse responded "Sally Ann can even push you if you promise to mind"

"I can do that!" Hasil said with excitement, he felt liked he hadn't been out of doors in weeks instead of days.

Sally Ann pushed Hasil out to the courtyard and parked his wheelchair next to a bench. She sat next to him and he took her hand.

Closing his eyes, Hasil threw his head back and let the sunlight wash over him. Turning to Sally Ann he said "Feels good to breath in fresh air. When they cut me loose, I ain't never settin foot in another hospital"

"The baby will be born in a hospital. You gonna miss that?" Sally Ann teased

"Forgot about that, guess I'll be making 2 or 3 more trips to the hospital then" Hasil smiled and threw his head back to welcome the sun.

Sally Ann smiled "2 or 3? That's going to require some negotiation on your part"

Without looking at Sally Ann, Hasil replied "Negotiation? Ain't never heard it called that before…."

Sally Ann laughed, and looked over at Hasil…..then suddenly gasped and squeezed Hasil's hand.

He turned to look at her and was alarmed to see a fearful look on her face. "What?" Hasil asked.

Sally Ann whispered "James." Hasil turned to see Sally Ann's brother walking toward them.

 


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

James had been looking for Sally Ann for weeks. The first few days, he was frantic – his car was found near Shay Mountain and there was no trace of Sally Ann. The next week a few folks said they saw her in town, and then Mrs. Harden said she spoke to Sally Ann at the Handy Mart. She gave James a message - Sally Ann was fine and she didn't want to see him, or for him to know where she was.

For more than a week he fumed. Ungrateful! All he had done for her! Gave up for her! One night he went into her room with a trash bag, if she wasn't coming back – no reason to keep her shit here. She was that hillbilly's problem now. He walked over to her dresser to start throwing stuff away. He stopped when he saw the pictures on top of it. A picture of the two of them with Mama, Sally Ann perched on his back and all of them smiling ear to ear. Another one, just him and Sally Ann – his high school graduation. They hadn't posed for the picture, but he remembered that day clearly. Mama left the next day. He was talking to a friend, and Sally Ann was holding his hand. She was looking up at him and smiling; even in a picture, you could see the trust and love in her eyes. James felt his throat tighten, the last time he had seen his sister there was fear in her eyes. She'd been terrified – of him. As his eyes started to fill with tears, James stumbled backward and sat on the bed. What happened to the guy holding her hand? When did he turn into someone she had to be afraid of?! He sat for a long time, holding the picture – at times unable to see it through his tears. When he finally left the room hours later, taking that picture with him – he knew what he had to do.

* * *

 

In the evidence room, Wade looked through Haylie's call log. He found a call on the night she died at 10:48 PM from Matt Myers. The call lasted 3 minutes. So after the mystery man got into the hotel, Myers called Haylie. He must have talked her into opening the door for some reason.

Looking at the pictures, Wade wondered how she ended up on the mountain. Based on the crime scene, it sure didn't look like she'd left of her own free will. But she came back a different person and that made her a big threat to the coal company. Ledda was right, someone would need to go see the Farrell's about Haylie – what happened on that mountain changed Haylie and led to her murder. He needed to go talk to the Hasil.

* * *

 

Arlene and the team followed Ledda to Joyce's home. The Old Denton Place, as it was known around town, was on 6 acres near the outskirts of town. It was a one of the oldest, and most likely the largest in town. Dru looked around as they pulled in, with an eye toward defense. At first glance, it was a bit of a nightmare – but he'd dealt with worse. There was a mountain behind the house, so that position was covered. In the front and two sides there were 4 fairly large lamp posts that looked like they could light up the yard night.

Kathy, who was sitting next to him, watched as he looked around intently. She sighed, "It's not that bad Babe"

Dru nodded, "I know, just getting the lay of the land. That must be our host. "

Joyce was standing outside waiting for her guests.

Ledda hugged Joyce and thanked her again before making introductions. Joyce smiled "Let's get ya'll inside and settled."

As they entered the house, Ellison asked "If you don't mind me asking, how old is this house?"

"It was built in 1901" Joyce said "The previous owner did a beautiful job with the restoration." She led them into a large room "This was a formal dining room, I don't entertain much so I've never furnished it. I thought we could use this as the war room"

"This is perfect!" Arlene said "I can't thank you enough Joyce. The ACLU will take care of…."

"Not necessary and no thanks needed, its important to me to help. Let me show you upstairs so you can get settled in your rooms; then we can regroup and start planning. We have work to do."

* * *

 

Matt's contact at the hotel called and said Wade had a closed door meeting with the manager. The only thing of interest at the hotel was Haylie's murder. Matt called Wilkes "See if you can get eyes on Houghton. He was sniffing around the hotel, I don't know what he is after but we can't under estimate him."

"We're just watching?" Wilkes said

"Just watching" Matt said "For now."

"Got some information on Gordon's MO. He is a computer genius, plants data mining malware. Then finds a way to get that data into the hands of the Feds, usually via the ACLU." Wilkes said

Matt exhaled "Shit. Keep digging, find his contacts"

Wilkes assured Matt "On it boss"

* * *

 

Sally Ann was sitting on a bench next to that Farrell kid, holding his hand. She looks happy, James thought to himself; then she saw him and the look he to never wanted see again was there. He hoped she'd hear him out.

"Hey" James said nervously "Can I talk to you alone?"

Sally Ann started to rise, but Hasil held firmly to her hand.

"No" Hasil said, looking at James with barely contained rage "First time I met you, I had to stop you from putting your hands on her. Next time I wound up tied to chair while you and a couple jackasses worked me over. She ain't going nowhere with you!" Hasil turned to look at Sally Ann and said firmly "No."

Looking at Hasil, Sally Ann could see this wasn't open for discussion. Truth be told, she did not feel comfortable being alone with James.

Turning to her brother, she said "Hasil is family to me, anything you need to say to me you can say in front of him."

Bracing for his rage, Sally Ann was surprised when he just nodded.

James took a deep breath and looked up to the sky before meeting Sally Ann's eyes

He handed her the picture. "You remember this?" James asked.

Taking the picture, Sally Ann nodded – his graduation. He looked so happy, they both did. Then Mama was gone. Sally Ann felt her eyes begin to sting. "Yeah, I remember"

"I wanna be him again." James said, "Right now I'm somebody whose own sister is scared of him. You got every right to be, I been pissed off since Mama left. But when the coal jobs left, I think that's when I started to turn on you…..." He stopped, choking up. "I can't stay here, not and be a good man. There's no hope in this place, not for me."

Sally Ann hurt for him, but she was also proud "I know James, and I understand."

Taking a deep breath, he asked "Are you okay? I been worried….."

"I'm okay" She assured him "I haven't been able to get work, but Hasil has been able to support us. We have our own place and a car, and I even have insurance now. I'll be fine"

"I'm sorry" James said sincerely "to both of you." Looking at Hasil he said "Thank you man. You'll take care of her?"

Hasil nodded, not sure what to make of this side of James. He still wasn't willing to trust him with Sally Ann, but could tell he loved her "She's A Chuisle Mo Chroi', the pulse of my heart. I'll make sure no harm comes to her."

James nodded and turned to Sally Ann "I got a job waiting for me in Cleveland. Cousin Brenda is letting me rent a room, I'll be leaving in the morning" He said, handing Sally Ann an envelope he continued "This is the title to the duplex. When Mama left, she transferred it into both our names. I went up to the courthouse yesterday and took my name off the title."

Eyes wide, Sally Ann protested "James, that's not fair to you."

"Let me do this, okay? All you need to do is pay the property taxes – about $200 a month. Its paid up through next month." He said as Sally Ann shook her head. "I can't stay in Blackburg and nobody is buying property around here. I want you to have it Baby Girl. Please?"

Locking eyes with James, Sally Ann could see light and hope in them for the first times in year. She nodded "Thank you Jay" She said, using his nickname. "The extra space will be nice when the baby comes, I'm due around Christmas"

"I hope someday I'll get to meet my niece or nephew. Promise to keep in touch? I don't want to lose you again." James said as Sally Ann stood up and took his hand.

"I promise. I'll text you my new number and let you know when the baby gets here. You take care, okay? Let me know that you made it there. And Thank You, not just for this, but for everything" Sally Ann said, reaching up to hug him.

They embraced for a long time. James finally stepped back and looked at her "Love you Sis" he said.

Through tears, Sally Ann whispered "Love you too Jay"

James extended his hand to Hasil, who accepted it and said "Good luck James"

As they watched James walk away, Hasil asked Sally Ann "You okay?"

"Yeah" She said as she sat down "I hadn't seen my brother in a long time, I'm glad he is back."

Hasil nodded, pulling her close and kissing her hair. "So…We got a car?"

* * *

 

Big Foster wasn't sleeping. Every time he closed his eyes, Lady Ray was waiting for him. Laughing at him, tormenting him, calling him a demon, telling him she was sending the wolves for him. His aim now was to get drunk enough to pass out, just to have a little peace. That plan was backfiring on him, he was now drunk enough to see her while he was awake and nowhere near passing out.

Phil'up was worried, something was off with Big. He wasn't surprised when came upon Big Foster arguing with a tree.

"No, No! Look, I can't do that! I done enough harm to this clan as it is" Big Foster moaned

"Foster?" Phil'up asked "Who you talkin to?"

Big Foster was startled "You know better then to come up on me like that!"

"Just wanted to look in on you. You alright?" He asked, concerned

"I'm fine." Big Foster said "Drinking my troubles away and enjoyin' the evening breeze"

"Who was you talkin to? Can't do what?" Phil'up pressed

"You keep your nose out of my business, it ain't none of your concern!" Big Foster spat. He tried to stand, but ended up flat on his back.

Phil'up helped Big to his feet "Lets get you to bed." He said, altering his approach "You know I'm with you if something is trying to harm to clan, I'm just tryin to help."

Big Foster leaned on Phil'up "I know, but I can't do it." He said as Phil'up walked him inside and helped lower him into bed. "I already lost two of my boys, my fault both of em are gone" Big mumbled as he rolled over. "Can't do it." He whispered and passed out.

Phil'up stood there stunned. Lord! He thought to himself - That's got to be the Farrell Wine talking, he wouldn't hurt Lil Foster?

* * *

 

Wade sat in the hospital parking lot after talking to Ledda. He had to find a way to get over to that house tonight without being noticed. They were setting up to start reviewing the information on the Zip drive and he wanted to be there.

Getting out of the cruiser, Wade walked into the hospital and headed towards Hasil's room. One of the orderlies stopped him.

"Looking for Farrell?" He asked

Wade nodded "Yeah, he in his room?"

"Nah, he's in the back courtyard. Popular man around here today, you're the 3rd guy showed up looking for him."

That stopped Wade in his tracks "Who were the other two?"

"I thought the first guy was a Fed, but the girls said he spooked when they asked him for ID. Said he was going to his car for it, but never came back." He answered "The other guy was his girl's brother"

"What's your name?" Wade said

"Jake Grant" The orderly answered

"What did the first guy look like Jake?" Wade asked

Wade listened to him describe the mystery man from the hotel. He pulled out his phone and showed Jake his picture. "This the guy?"

"Yeah!" Jake exclaimed "That's the dude"

"Listen Jake, here's my card with my cell number on the back. This guy shows up again, call me right away. Don't let him anywhere near Farrell. Imma go talk to your security folks, but you keep an eye out – can you do that?"

"Sure Sheriff, I'll talk to the guys – we'll watch his back"

As Wade headed to the Hospital Security Office, he called Deputy Fults "Get a unit down here, we need someone who keep an eye on the Farrell Kid"

"You ready to charge him with something?" Fults asked eagerly, his nose was still crooked from his last run in with Hasil

"No" said Wade "But I think someone might be interested in killing him."


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Wade left the Hospital security office angry, he made arrangements to put Hasil under protection. He would be moved into a corner room with its own bathroom in a less populated area.

Wade headed out to the courtyard to find Hasil and Sally Ann. One Planet Assholes! Nobody else is getting killed on his watch! They must be worried about being able to tie Haylie to the mountain, and Hasil was the only connection in town to Shay Mountain.

Butch and Frieda brought dinner up for Sally Ann, and joined them in the courtyard. Hasil was enjoying his first solid meal, chicken and rice soup. It was really rice soup with chicken broth, but he still didn't have much of an appetite so wasn't complaining.

Nobody was happy to see Wade coming.

Butch looked a Frieda, this was their signal to go! "We're out party people" he said standing and grabbing his back pack. He extended his fist toward Hasil "Take care dude, good to see you up and around"

"G'night Brother" Hasil said eyeing Houghton as he approached. "Thanks for the keeping Sally Ann fed Miss Frieda."

Frieda smiled "Don't want you to have to deal with a Hangry incident in your present condition"

"That happened one time!" Sally Ann protested to everyone's smiling faces

"That quite was enough" Frieda said, waving as Butch grabbed her hand and headed toward the exit. "I'll call you in the morning!"

Wade approached nervously "Hey, Um, how you doing?"

"I'll live" Hasil said "I know you could get in a lot of trouble for what you done for me, thank you"

Wade nodded, but didn't respond. There was no easy way to say this…..

"I came here to talk to you about Haylie Grimes. I think the people that killed her may be coming after you"

* * *

 

At Joyce's place, the ACLU team was getting to work. Dru was working on setting up a secure network with encryption and wireless cameras inside and outside the house while the team turned the dining room into a war room.

First order of business was to review the files on the drive Gordon sent, and there were a lot of them. Kat is a Paralegal, and specializes in Forensic Investigation – so that would be her job. Arlene was putting together a summary of what they had thus far and Ellison was interviewing Ledda and Joyce to ensure they had all the players identified.

When he was done, Dru sat down to make contact with the investigators in town. Claire Johnston was running point for the in town team. She was a former NCIS investigator and tough as nails. She and Dru had been friends for years, they'd met at NCIS Academy when he found himself second place behind her in everything.

"Hey Claire Bear" Dru said when she answered the phone

"Do not call me that" Claire said "Are you calling for a sit rep or to antagonize me?"

"Both. Antagonizing completed, ready for a situation report" Dru said with satisfaction

Claire sighed "Jackass. Checked into the hotel, Erica and Teddy are out scouting and establishing our journalist cover ID's. I ate at the bar and visited with the bartender. He said rumor is the Farrell's stole some dynamite from the mining company and blew up the dam, claims he heard that from a drunk ATF agent. Also said, his daddy used to work up there and One Planet did what they wanted, regulations be damned."

"Dynamite?" Dru whistled "Those Farrell's mean business. No way any evidence of that survived. Any other speculative gossip?"

"I prefer the term intel. He thinks Haylie Grimes was murdered. He said she spent a lot of time at the bar, and she was a lot of things – but not suicidal." Claire answered "Said they Sheriff has been back here too many times for the case to be closed."

"Nice work Claire" Dru praised "What's your next move?"

"Got the name of some local miner bars, we'll troll tonight looking for pro-coal stories and see what we can turn up. We'll try to ID any coal company plants or enforcers we come across. I'll call you for bed check by 2300."

"Sounds good. Stay on your toes, if even part of this stuff is true – these people have a lot to lose. They won't hesitate to eliminate any perceived threats." Dru warned

"I know, this is about as bad as I've seen it." Claire agreed "We're keeping our eyes open. Let me know if you get a hit on that picture the Sheriff gave you"

"Copy. Talk to you at bed check." Dru said

* * *

 

Phil'up sat on Big Fosters porch for a long time. He was worried. Worried for Big Foster, worried for his kin, worried about the future. He'd been fiercely loyal to Big Foster. He believed in him and thought he was the only one who could protect this clan.

Now he felt alone. Tice, Enoch, Trevor, Barnabis, Levon, Hasil…all gone. For what? They were worse off now than ever.

Should he have followed G'Win? She let the Kinnah in! But without the guns Big Foster bought among them, them Kinnah would'a never been able to do what they'd done and at least two others might be alive. G'win had scared off the low landers who invaded and it was her idea to do the run and bring up the coal lady. He wasn't sure if they were better off cause of those things, but he was sure they weren't no worse off. And nobody died.

Phil'up felt his hands start to shake and his chest got tight. He looked down at his hands expecting to see blood on them. Closing his eyes, he balled his hands into fists to steady the shaking. When he finally opened his eyes, he stood and looked over his shoulder to see Big Foster still passed out where he left him.

"I'm sorry Big" As he walked off to find G'Win and Lil Foster.

* * *

 

Wilkes sat in the warehouse office waiting for Myers to show up. He still hadn't located the Sheriff, but he had narrowed down Gordon/Tim's ACLU contacts. Looks like there were 3 different attorney's who had connections to cases he had been involved in. Someone was running down the whereabouts of all three.

While looking for the Sheriff at the hospital, he decided to do a little digging on the Farrell kid. He'd found out the Sheriff hadn't been there today and the ATF was coming back tomorrow. That kid was probably the only person accessible to law enforcement who could connect Grimes to the mountain. Nobody else in town could have taken her up there. He knew Myers was worried about that. Wilkes cursed himself again for letting Myers anywhere near that operation. All they needed to do was get the jars from her, that's it. He could have handled that. But Myers insisted on showing up, he said to reason with her. Wilkes knew he just wanted to gloat. Haylie wasn't taking shit from Myers, and spit in his face. He heard Myers slap her and came out of the bathroom to see him lift her by her hair and slam her head into the table.

Wilkes helped him stage the suicide because that was his job, but he wasn't going to let Myers put him in that kind of position again. It was sloppy work that left them vulnerable. If they went after the Farrell kid he would make sure it was done right and looked like it was tied to his hospitalization. He had no doubt that Myers would protect himself at all costs, and Wilkes had been doing this too long to end up some desk jockeys collateral damage. If things went south and it came down to Wilkes or Myers, Wilkes would make damn sure he was last man standing.

* * *

 

Hasil and Sally Ann were settled in his new room with a plain clothes deputy stationed outside the door. Wade explained what happened after Haylie came down off the mountain. Hasil felt sick that she was murdered for trying to help his kin. Wade didn't ask to many questions, but he told them about seeing her at the station. He did let them know about her email and that she said she was on the mountain but not how she got up there or who took her. Hasil told Wade he didn't take her up the mountain himself, but was with them until the edge of town.

"She saw my face, said my name. But she didn't say nothin when he saw her or in the note she left. Why?" Hasil said, confused by her kindness

Sitting next to Hasil on the double bed, Sally Ann raised his hand to her lips "Seems like once she knew what was really happening, she wanted to help. It wasn't right to take her up there against her will, but I think she appreciated knowing the truth."

Hasil shook his head and leaned back. "We had no business…no right…and now she's dead"

Sally Ann placed her hand on Hasil's chest "Look at me - when this is all said and done, people will say she got herself killed, people will say the Farrell's got her killed; but the people who killed Haylie are responsible for her death, nobody else. Okay?"

Hasil nodded "I know you're right, but….."

"You're a caring person, it's going to bother you that someone was murdered. You want to do something about it. You'll be able to help the Sheriff when the time comes. Just remember, its not your fault."

Hasil nodded and looked at Sally Ann, knowing she wasn't going to like what he had to say next.

"I want you to leave with your brother tomorrow" He said quietly

Stunned, Sally Ann just looked at him. "Wait, what?! Why?!"

"It's to dangerous to stay here. If the coal folks are killing there own, they'll go after anybody. If they want me, they might try to get to you." He said softly, touching her face "I don't want you and the baby in harms way"

"No" Sally Ann said emphatically "I'm not leaving you"

"Sally Ann" Hasil protested "You're carrying a child"

"And you just got shot" She countered "So its not like you'll be doing anything I can't keep up with. I'm moving faster than you these days!"

"That ain't the point" Hasil said "You'll be safe in Cleveland. I'll send for you when it's over"

"This is it." Sally Ann said, echoing his promise to her "You and me. I'm not leaving. Okay?"

They locked eyes and Hasil finally nodded. "Okay." He pulled her close, and kissed her softly.

"But listen, if something happens - ain't a lot of time for talking, you gotta listen and do what I ask. Alright?" Hasil said, that nervous edge back in his voice. "Promise me."

"I promise" Sally Ann assured him. Her hope was he wouldn't be as reckless with her close, cause she would kill him herself if he got shot again!

* * *

 

Claire called Dru at 2230 for bed check. The team protocol was to debrief on this call , then no team movement until the AM check in.

"How was the bar hopping?" Dru asked

Claire had the team on speaker and gestured for Erica to answer "Hey Hefe…..your standard drunken disillusionment hit you in the face at every bar. There is a fair amount of anger and vitriol being directed at Matt Myers. It seems to be common knowledge his mission was to get the mountain cleared off and the mine open."

Teddy added "There hasn't been much effort to hide that little fact, and apparently there was a story leaked that Don Fushee agreed to make a huge campaign contribution if the Governors office put Myers in play. The story somehow got squashed, so we will run that down. We did ID 4 potential plants bought in as muscle. We'll get the photos over to you."

"Good leads for your first day of boots on the ground." Dru said

"Anything on Myers sidekick?" Claire asked

Dru grabbed the file " Just basic info. Name is Arnold Wilkes. Used to be a cop in Chicago, fired 16 years ago. Freelancing with coal companies since then." Dru continued "Sheriff is coming by tonight to brief us on he what he is working on. Kat has the files from the Zip drive organized into two categories – Government misconduct and Corporate misconduct. Arlene and Ellis are starting to review them now to break them further down into Civil and Criminal."

Claire exhaled "Okay – We'll dig deeper on Wilkes and Myers, and see what we can find out about the news story that was squashed. I already have a buddy at ATF working on getting me some details of why they were here and where they're at with that investigation. Teddy just sent the photos of the plants, let us know when you get names"

"0800 check in?" Dru asked

"Lets make it 0900" Claire said "I'd like to get at least one hour sleep"

"Copy. Hansen OUT!" Dru exclaimed

"Jackass" Claire said and hung up.

* * *

 

G'win sat up nursing Ray and watching Lil Foster sleep. They'd both been surprised by the visit from cousin Phil'up. He'd been Big Fosters shadow from the beginning of this mess. But he seemed like a broken little boy when he came to them. He told them how he found Big talking to a tree and was afraid he was gonna try to harm Lil.

"Everybody is gone. All the boys I came up with, dead. He brought all this down on us and I…" He'd been too upset to say anymore.

G'win knew Big Foster was haunted, by both ghosts and demons. She just didn't know which had his ear right now. But if it was the demons, he was capable of anything.

Lil Foster asked Phil'up to keep an eye on Big Foster, he didn't want him hurting himself. G'win was glad Phil'up agreed, because she didn't want him hurting anybody else.

* * *

 

Deputy Fults couldn't believe he was protecting the guy that broke his nose. Wade was taking this to far, but orders are orders. They'd had met with the hospital team, and unless there was an alarm at the nurses station nobody was to come near this room. It was quiet until about 0130, when a male nurse approached with a cart. He wasn't on the team that Fults met.

"I think you have the wrong room, nobody is supposed to be back here" Fults said

The nurse kept coming and said "Doc left an order for blood work, got misplaced. Won't take a minute."

Fults had met Dr. Keith, he didn't mention anything about blood work. He placed his hand on his sidearm "Stop right there. You send nurse Dana down here, she is assigned to him" Fults said

"Dana went home sick" He said, stopping and keeping his eye on Fults hands

Fults drew his sidearm and pointed it "There is no nurse Dana. Hands up!"


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Hasil couldn't sleep. There was so much going on, and he was stuck in this damn hospital. Sally Ann slept soundly beside him, he knew she was bone tired. He wished she'd agreed to leave, he felt like they were sitting ducks here. Anybody who wanted to find him knew right where to look.

Wade got them settled into this new room and stayed until the deputy arrived. He'd brought Hasil's belongings that had been left at Ledda's place. When Sally Ann walked down the hall to the vending machine with Hospital Security as an escort, Wade asked Hasil if he wanted his knife.

"You bought it?" Hasil asked, surprised

"It's in with your stuff here. I didn't want to say nothin in front of your girl, I know how they can get about that kind of thing." Wade answered

"I thank you kindly for that." Hasil said as Wade handed him the knife. Hasil made sure it was secure in the sheath and slid it between the mattress and box spring. It had belonged to his Fa and he was comforted to have it near.

Hasil caught a movement out of the corner of his eye. He could see the shadow of Deputy Fults through the curtains. He had been sitting in the same chair for hours. Hasil saw him stand and could hear him talking to someone, but couldn't quite make out what was said. Hasil watched the shadow intently, then he noticed a change in tone and saw him place his hand on his gun.

He shook Sally Ann. When she started to protest, Hasil placed his hand over her mouth and leaned close to her to whisper "Quiet. Get in the bathroom and lock the door" He said, nudging her off the bed.

Hasil was on his feet now, he could see Fults had pulled his gun an heard him yell. Sally Ann was near the bathroom door and when Hasil turned she mouthed "What?"

Exasperated, Hasil said impatiently "Get in there NOW and lock the damn door!" As she closed the door, there was a loud crash and yelling. Hasil drew his knife from under the mattress and rolled the bed over to block the door. He moved into the shadows to wait.

* * *

 

The imposter shoved his cart forcefully toward Deputy Fults and took off running. Fults sidestepped the cart and kept his firearm trained on him, but did not pursue. He needed to stay in place in case this was a diversion. He radioed Hospital Security.

"This is Deputy Fults, we just had a breach on the secure floor. White male, 6 foot, dark hair, mid to late 30's wearing blue scrubs. He fled down the east stairwell."

He knocked on the glass and said "Ya'll stay put in there, we just had an intruder. I'm calling the Sheriff, don't open this door for nobody but him."

* * *

 

Wade had just dropped Ledda off at Polly's when he got the call. The kids were staying there while he and Ledda worked with the ACLU team. He called Ledda and told her what happened. "You and the kids stay there, don't go home. And call Dru and let him know somebody made a run at the Farrell Kid."

They'd pulled together a lot of information, but were still sorting through files and doing research. Dru wanted Wade to go back to the hotel and look at more footage. Wilkes couldn't have hung Haylie from that shower rod by himself. If they could identify an accomplice, they might have a weak link to go after. Dru sent Wade the pictures of the 4 men identified by his team, hoping he could spot one of them on film. Wade planned to see if Fults could ID the intruder from the 4 photos.

Wade yawned and made a U-turn to head toward the hospital to investigate the attempted hit on Hasil Farrell. Mayberry my ass….

* * *

 

Mitch Thomas bolted out of a side door at the hospital and ran until he was sure he wasn't being followed. He ditched the scrubs and circled back to his car parked 4 blocks from the hospital in jeans and a t-shirt.

Once inside the car he made a call "I couldn't get it done, cop outside the room made me pretty quick."

On the other end of the line, Arnie Wilkes was puzzled "What the hell are you talking about Mitch?"

"That thing Myers asked me to handle, at the hospital." Mitch replied

Son of a Bitch Myers! Got damn reckless , amateur bullshit! Wilkes jumped up to get dressed.

"Listen carefully Mitch, you will tell me exactly what happened as you drive out of town. Leave now and do not come back."

* * *

 

Sally Ann had rolled the bed back to the center of the room and talked Hasil into laying down, but she couldn't talk him into giving up the knife. She was going to have a word with the Sheriff about giving a weapon to someone who is recovering from a gunshot wound.

They were both tired and on edge. After Fults told them to stay put, Sally Ann opened the bathroom door.

"I don't know what's going on yet, its best if you wait in there." Hasil said as she started to walked out

Sally Ann looked at Hasil, he was pale and his breathing was a little labored. Leaning against the wall in his long underwear and hospital gown; he was staring at the door with his knife in his hand. He needed to lay down, but she didn't want to fight. She stood in threshold of the bathroom, watching him watch the door.

"Babe" She whispered

"What?" He answered

"Why don't we roll that cart over and put it in the path of the sliding door? If they manage to get by the lock somehow, they'd only be able to open the door a couple inches."

Hasil looked at the cart, at the door, and then at Sally Ann

She pressed "You need to save your strength. That would secure the door and we can move the bed over here . You can lay down and watch the door. Please?"

Hasil sighed "Move it over so I can see"

Sally Ann came out of the bathroom and moved the cart into place. Hasil nodded, satisfied with her solution. He pushed off the wall to stand up straight and stumbled. He threw his hand out to catch himself, and Sally Ann rushed to his side. The adrenaline had worn off now and she could see he was crashing.

"Just got a little light headed, I'm fine" he said.

Sally Ann moved grabbed a chair and slid it over. "Sit here, I'll get the bed moved."

Once she had the bed placed to his liking, Hasil made his way over with some effort and assistance. Sally Ann reached for the knife as he settled into the bed.

"Imma hold on to this" Hasil said, tightening his grip

"You can't go to sleep with a knife in your hand" Sally Ann said

"I ain't going to sleep" Hasil responded.

Sally Ann stared at him and reached for the knife again

"Quit that!" Hasil said. "Come around here and lay down, I ain't the only one needs to rest"

"At least put the cover back on it" She said, not moving.

Hasil sighed "Alright. Its tween the beds …"

Sally Ann pulled out the sheath and handed it to Hasil. Laying down beside him, they both stared at the door in silence. They needed some answers, both said a silent prayer the Sheriff would be there soon.

* * *

 

It was still dark when Big Foster woke up. At first he thought someone was pounding on his door, but soon realized that was his own head.

"Lordy!" He sighed. He remembered drinking alone and drinking a lot. He wasn't sure how or when he got to bed. He rolled over to get up, he needed to make his way to the outhouse. As he stumbled through the door, he saw Phil'up sleeping in the hammock on the porch.

He was a good boy, loyal to the bone. They all were good boys, even his own Asa. He shoulda claimed the boy, maybe he wouldn't have left. Looking out into the yard, he expected to see his Ma or the 3 Wolves waiting on him. He leaned over the rail to puke. Resting his hands on his knees –he tried to catch his breath. "I can't do it…can't do it….." Big Foster whispered hoarsely

He heard Phil'up coming up behind him "You okay? Can't do what?"

Big Foster gestured with his hand. "Get to the outhouse"

Phil'up put his arm around Big Fosters waist and raised his arm to rest on his shoulders. He got him to the outhouse and then back in bed. "You need anything?"

"Just to sleep it off. You go on boy, you ain't gotta nurse maid me." Foster said

"Seemed like something was worrying you when I found you." Phil'up said. Big Foster didn't answer, turning his back to him and pulling the blanket up. "Alright, I'll be close by if you have a need"

Phil'up walked back out and laid in the hammock. This was gonna be hard, he hoped he was doing the right thing. He'd take another run at finding out what Big Foster was planning when he was sober.

* * *

 

Arnie Wilkes was furious. Thanks to the information Mitch gave him, he was able to put a stop to the rest of what Myers was planning. He was planning to have someone break into the hotel and steal or destroy video footage.

He had no choice but to call Don Fushee. He needed to get Myers under control, or Wilkes was walking.

"Arnie? Its 2AM, what the hell is going on?"

"Sorry to bother you sir, but Matt Myers is out of control."

"How do you mean?" Don asked

"He's giving my guys jobs without running it through me. He had Mitch try to hit the Farrell kid in the hospital, it was a fail. Mitch called me instead of Myers when the job went bad – that's the only reason I found out about it."

"Are you sure?" Don said "That don't sound like Matt. I told him to stand down and run everything through me."

"Yes sir, I'm sure. He told Hank to hit the hotel and either steal or destroy video." Wilkes continued "Mitch told me about that and I called Hank off. Myers also told me you wanted everything to run through him, and not to contact you about a threat analysis he had me work up on Gordon."

Don was silent on the other end. He would never have thought Myers would go rogue on him.

"Get over there and scare his ass straight. And see if you can drop a bug on him and watch him like a hawk. I got some business to take care of up here, I'll be down day after tomorrow."

* * *

 

Wade arrived at the hospital and went straight up to the floor where Hasil was staying.

Fults stood as he approached. "Nurse wants to get in a look at Farrell, I told everyone to stay put until you got here"

"Go ahead and get her up here" Wade said. He knocked on the glass "Its Sheriff Hougton. Can I come in?

"Just a minute" He heard Sally Ann reply. She pulled the curtains back and Wade could see they'd jammed a cart into the door rack.

"Ya'll alright?" Wade asked as he walked in

Sally Ann nodded and Hasil said "Yeah, but you gotta get us outta here."

Wade nodded "We'll get you moved tomorrow, they ain't coming back tonight. I got two more deputies coming out tonight for extra protection"

"Does the doctor know you're moving us?" Sally Ann asked

"That's one of the reasons we're waiting, so we can make sure any medical things we need are in place."

Nurse Janice walked in to examine Hasil. "Your BP is high Hasil."

"I don't know what that is" Hasil said Looking at Wade he asked "Did they catch him?"

"Not yet, but we will" Wade said. "Let me show you some pictures, tell me if you know any of these guys."

While Wade and Hasil were talking, Sally Ann got Janice's attention. Silently, she mouthed "He needs sleep" Janice nodded in agreement. She prepped a needle and gave Hasil and injection.

"What was that?" Hasil asked suspiciously

"Something for your blood pressure." Janice responded. "Sheriff, you need to get out of here and let them settle in. Dr. Keith is in at 10AM tomorrow, I'll pass on that he should expect you."

Hasil didn't recognize any of the photos, and that's really all Wade needed from him now.

"I'll be back in the morning with Joyce" Wade promised. "You're safe here, we got 3 armed deputies out there"

Sally Ann followed Wade and Janice to close the door and curtain. Turning back to Hasil, she could see him fighting sleep. "What'd she give me?" He murmured

"Something to help you sleep" Sally Ann said.

"You tell her to?" He asked, head bobbing to the side the snapping up.

"Yep" Sally Ann replied. Settling in bed next to him and slipping the knife from his hand and putting it under the pillow

He rolled over to rest his head on her chest and his arm across her waist. "Not nice…." He said as he drifted off….

* * *

 

Dru was glad to hear from Wade that all was well for now. Fults identified the would be hitter from the photos Claire's team provided. Wade had a team taking fingerprints and statements now, he was going to watch video.

Dru called Claire to provide an update. She answered on the first ring. "You still up?" He asked

"It's kinda early for stupid questions. What's going on?" Claire asked

"Someone tried to hit the Farrell kid at the hospital. Deputy ID'd one of the guys from the photo's you sent."

Claire sighed "That changes things. I found out someone has been looking for Arlene and 2 other lawyers that our source uses as a contact. It won't be long before they know she is here"

" I think we need to change tactics. This hit was JV and so was Haylie's murder. Someone is acting out of desperation and we can to use that to push them toward an indictment. Tomorrow, we make our presence known. Your team is coming off the bench." Dru declared

Dru heard Erica and Teddy in the background "Yes!" "About damn time!"

He smiled "Get some rest, be locked and loaded by 1100."

 


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Arnie Wilkes called Matt Myers as soon as he hung up with Don Fushee. He'd played dumb, told him something happened at the hospital with the Farrell kid and they needed to talk. As they approached Matt's condo, he turned to Hank and said "Stay away from his face and no broken bones, got it?"

Hank stood off to the side while they waited for Myers to answer the door, as Arnie walked past him to go inside – Hank forced his way in and closed the door.

"What the hell is this?!" Matt said

Hank slammed a fist into his solar plexus. Matt stumbled back and fell to his knees, red faced and gasping for air. Hank pulled the gun from the back of Matt's waistband and handed it to Wilkes.

Arnie sat on the coffee table and Hank stood over Matt, waiting for him to catch his breath.

"Wilkes…you…don't….want…..to…..do….this" Matt said, still struggling for air

Hank grabbed Matt roughly and hauled him to his feet. Matt tried to pull away but Hank twisted his arm behind his back and shoved him into the wall. "Ahhhhh, damn it!"

"If I google the word Assclown, do you think your picture would pop up?" Wilkes asked Matt

Myers looked indignant and terrified at the same, but said nothing. Hank pulled his arm up a little higher, Matt grunted.

"I mean, what the shit Myers?!" Wilkes said, moving out of his line of vision toward his keys laying on the countertop. "You didn't think we'd find out or you thought you'd ask for forgiveness instead of permission?!"

Hank hit Matt with a quick jab to the kidney as he released his arm. Matt went back down to the floor in agony. Hank put his knee between his shoulders and pinned him to the ground.

"Don didn't give you permission and he didn't seem to be in a forgiving mood when we talked" Arnie taunted as he placed a bug inside the remote on his key ring. "Get him up on his knees" he ordered Hank.

Arnie pulled the clip out of Matt's gun and checked to see that it was loaded before popping it back it in and sliding a round into the chamber.

Trembling on his knees, Matt said "I was just trying to clean up loose ends…"

"Your loose ends! You'll take us all down with this amateur bullshit. This ends now!" Wilkes said, pointing the gun at Matt's head. It had the desired effect, Arnie saw a wet spot spread across the front of Matt's pants. Stepping back, he smirked at Myers "This scene will have a different ending if you defy Mr. Foushee again. His orders are to stand down. Do your got damn job and let me do mine."

Keeping Myers gun, Arnie walked out the door followed by Hank; leaving Matt Myers trembling on the floor in a puddle of his own urine.

* * *

 

Joyce was the first one up in the morning. It was nearly 8am, she was sitting on the back porch enjoying the quiet. The ACLU team had an easy camaraderie that filled the house with positive energy. They were all such good people, Joyce was glad they were here. They had worked into the early morning hours reviewing the evidence they'd gathered. Everyone was furious when they saw the destruction One Planet wrought on the mountain with there poison. They were unified and determined to put an end to it and ensure justice for the Clans.

The Shay Mountain view was breathtaking today. Gazing at the mountain, she touched the charm on her necklace, a silver St. Brigid's Cross. During a move, they'd lost a woven St. Brigid's cross that her grandmother had given her and Joyce was just devastated. It was the one thing she had from home. She was so upset, her husband bought the charm for her the day she realized it was gone. She hadn't been without it a day.

Her grandmother had sensed Joyce was leaving before she knew it herself. She gave her the cross and said "Always remember where you come from girl. Many reihythn walk among the low landers. You fight em, don't let em steal your spirit nor your power – be a Curadh for those in need."

Closing her eyes, Joyce whispered aloud "I remember Morai. I'll do my best."

* * *

 

Sally Ann needs to pee. Bad. But she didn't want to wake her man. Hasil is sound asleep, arms wrapped around her and one leg draped over her hip. It was 830 AM and she's been staring at the clock for at least an hour. Hasil stirred once in that time, when she felt what he called "mornin glory" poking her in the backside. He pressed against her, kissed her neck, and promptly went back to sleep. That made her smile, mornin glory was usually very glorious for her – but she was a happy with the nudge and kiss seeing as he'd been recently shot and she had him drugged last night.

As tired as she was, Sally Ann couldn't sleep. So much going on, good and bad with nothing in between. She thought back to the fight they had when Big Foster came to town. They were still going from one crisis to the next, and each new crisis more serious than the last. Hasil almost died and then someone came after him here. She was 4 months along now, and they needed to be in a safe and stable place before the baby was born. Thanks to Hasil's last fight and James giving her the duplex, they could survive 8 or 9 months without either of them working if they were careful. But what then? Would Hasil be able to fight again? She wasn't sure she wanted him to after that last fight. What kind of work could she get around here?

Taking a deep breath, Sally Ann closed her eyes and tried to reason with herself "Lets just get through this safely. We can't plan how we're gonna to live until we're free from this madness."

If you'd told Sally Ann the day before she met Hasil what her life would be like today, she would have laughed in your face and called you a liar! But here she was and though she could do without the danger and drama, she wouldn't trade Hasil for anyone. He wasn't the man she imagined for herself, but he is everything she wanted. He's handsome, kind, considerate, funny, protective, smart, and probably the most determined and capable person she'd ever met. Sally Ann sighed and thought with a smile "And sexy AF!"

Closing her eyes, she took a moment to relax and just feel Hasil close to her. His warm breath on her neck, his firm chest, his strong arms, and morning glory nestled against her backside. Her mind drifted back to the morning of his last fight. She was washing her face after showering when Hasil walked in and embraced her from behind.

"Morning" he said sleepily, wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing her neck

"Morning" she said, drying her face "How are you feeling?"

"I'm alright" Hasil said "You good this morning? You didn't get sick?"

"Not this morning. I'm fine Babe" she promised, they locked eyes in the mirror as Hasil removed the towel she had wrapped around her body.

"I can see that" Hasil smiled, kissing her neck again as his hands started to explore her body.

Sally Ann leaned back into Hasil and tried to control her breathing. "You know, this is the 3rd day this week of morning glory" she said, her voice catching as his hand disappeared between her legs.

"You complaining?" Hasil asked, without letting his lips leave her skin

"Nooooo" Sally Ann moaned, throwing her head back and gripping his thighs

He grabbed a fist full of her hair and guided her forward until she was leaning over the sink. Then he said it…..sometimes he whispered it, other times it was a growl, or like that morning a firm and confident statement….but he always said it

"Mine" and then she would feel him….

Sally Ann opened her eyes "Okay Sally Ann, focus! I need to get my mind out of his pants and my ass out of this bed" she thought to herself

"Babe?" Sally Ann said, turning slightly in his arms she reached back to touch his cheek. "Hasil? We need to get up, Joyce will be here in an hour."

* * *

 

Wade and Ledda waved to the kids as the RV drove off. They were sending them on a road trip with Breece's parents. Nobody was sure how bad things would get, but Wade knew these folks were getting desperate – and he didn't want the kids around. Mimi and Papa Dobbs had adopted Caleb as a grandson since both Wade and Andy Rae's folks were gone, all the kids would be safe with them.

Wade needed to find out where this would be hit man was staying and get a warrant to search his place. The plan called for him to stay away from the hospital today. It was likely that Myers was going to try to keep tabs on him in hopes of following his investigation. They hoped to keep them in the dark as long as they could about the team movements and location.

That Dru knew his stuff, his security set up was pretty impressive. If his team was half as good as he said they were, he knew Hasil and Sally Ann would be in safe hands leaving the hospital.

Ellis was the attorney that would be representing Wade, he was an expert in whistleblower defense. Wade hated to think of himself like that, but this thing went all the way up to the Governors office. Ellis asked Wade what he wanted out of this

"Peace. Peace for the town and for the people on the mountain." Wade said "And the bastard that killed my brother-in-law behind bars."

* * *

 

As Phil'up walked out, G'win turned to Lil Foster. "Maybe I should go talk to him."

"No G'win, I'll go. He already thinks he can run me, so he expects I'll come to him. He's scared of you, you'll just set him off." Lil Foster said

They stared at each other for a moment, before G'win shook her head "Foster, I don't…."

"Peace and love, G'win. And forgiveness. But that don't mean forgettin, I ain't a boy blinded by his Fa no more. If I'm to lead this clan, then its my duty to deal with him." Foster picked up Ray who had started to fuss in her bed

"So you're gonna take The Oak?" She asked

"I have to, I don't know if I'm ready – but if the time has come…" He leaned over to kiss Ray as he rocked her

Stepping to his side, she reached or the baby "Feeding time. The Elders will help guide you, I know you can do this Foster. You're the returned one in the Prophecy. We'll be alright."

Taking in her words, Foster felt the weight of the world settle on his shoulders. He leaned over and kissed both G'win and Ray. As he turned to go out and face his Fa, he said "I'll do my best."

* * *

 

The ATF contacted Joyce and cancelled the interview with Hasil today. Based on the evidence and alibi, there was no plan to pursue charges. However, they did say they may request an interview at a later date.

Joyce shared the news when she and Dru arrived at the hospital.

"That don't bother me one bit" Hasil smiled

"I didn't think it would" Joyce said.

"So Hasil, we think it's a good idea to move you and Sally Ann to Joyce's place with our team. We can protect everyone better if we can keep our team under the same roof." Dru explained

"Alright" Hasil agreed

Sally Ann interrupted "We need to see what the Dr. Keith says about him leaving first"

"I'm fine" Hasil assured her "We can't stay here, its not safe"

There was a knock on the door, they could see Dr. Keith sliding the door open

"Good morning everyone." Dr. Keith greeted. He grabbed the chart from the end of the bed and read it silently "Your vitals are great considering what happened last night" he commented

"Bout that Doc, I'd like to get out of here today." Hasil explained "It ain't safe here for me or my girl"

"But only if he is healthy enough" Said Sally Ann, glaring at Hasil

"I ordered another MRI for today, they should be around shortly to get you. If that looks good, I am okay with signing a release. If not, you can still leave but it would be AMA." He advised

Seeing the puzzled look on both there faces, Joyce advised "AMA is against medical advice. Lets wait for the test results to see what's feasible- okay?"

Both Sally Ann and Hasil nodded.

"Good" Said Dr. Keith "I'll get them in here for you shortly"

As Dr. Keith stepped out, Dru excused himself "I need to check in with the other members of the security team. There are still 2 deputies in the hall and one watching the elevator and stairwell. But I will be close by so I escort you to and from the MRI."

Joyce turned to Sally Ann and Hasil "Let me bring you up to speed with what we know thus far"

* * *

 

Claire answered on the first ring "No comedy this morning, just get to the point"

In the background, Dru heard Erica say "Wow, seriously?!"

"Suit up, Uniform A" Dru advised "Need you at the hospital by 1300. We're going to extract the package and return it to base"

Claire rolled her eyes "the package?"

"No comedy is a lot of pressure for me, I did the best I could." He explained "Come in heavy, we want to put on a show but we also need to be prepared for anything. Base camp is moving, so clean the room"

"Not my first day…... Teddy and Erica are working on it now" Claire said

"I have to say….the attitude is a little out of control today" Dru commented

"Tell me about it" Erica said "Mean mouthing….All morning…... she's one snap away from meeting the Bitch Gestapo."

Claire glared at Erica, and as she started to respond Dru cut her off. "1300. And you're taking a nap this afternoon"

* * *

 

Sally Ann walked down the hall with Hasil, but did not go in with him for the MRI due to the radiation. She was sitting outside in a small waiting room visiting with Joyce and Dru when she heard her name called, and looked up "Mike?"

"Yeah! Hey, how are you?" He said as he approached

Sally Ann stood to meet him, with Dru close behind. He cleared his throat, reminding her of the earlier conversation about protection protocols.

"Mike and I went to school together, we've known each other since 6th grade." She whispered.

Under Dru's watchful eye, Sally Ann stepped forward to hug him. "I'm good Mike, how are you?"

"I'm good, working for UPS – hospital is part of my regular route. You don't work here do you?"

"No, just passing through!" Sally Ann said "Do you remember Ms. Joyce from the library? And this is Dru."

Mike shook hands with both, but quickly returned his attention back to Sally Ann

"Didn't you move to Louisville?" Sally Ann asked

"Yeah, I transferred back about 3 months ago. Pops diabetes was getting worse, so I came home to help my mom." Mike explained "You look amazing by the way. I asked about you at church but folks said you had a falling out with James and stopped coming"

"Long story, but we're good now. Sorry to hear about Mr. White, is he okay?" She asked

Dru was discretely monitoring the interaction, he didn't think Mike had anything to do with the coal company but was fairly certain Hasil would not like the way he was looking at Sally Ann

"His eye sight started to go, but I think that finally scared him enough to make some changes. So things are getting better. What's going on with you beautiful?" Mike asked

"Not much" Sally Ann answered "I'm just waiting for my boyfriend, he's having a test done"

Mike looked visibly disappointed "Ah….hope he's okay. Anybody I know?"

"No, he's from out of town" Sally Ann replied. Behind Mike she could see the doors open and Hasil being wheeled out. "There he is now. It was nice seeing you Mike, tell your folks I said hello" She turned to grab her phone from the table and moved toward Hasil. "You take care"

"You too Sally Ann….good to see you" Mike said, turning to watch her walk away.

Hasil was watching Mike watching Sally Ann walk toward him. "Who's that?" He sounded irritated

"Mike White, we went to school together" She replied

"What's he doin here?" Hasil asked "besides staring a you?"

Sally Ann rolled her eyes "Working, and he wasn't staring a me. I told him I was here with my boyfriend and to say hello to his family"

Hasil looked at her in disbelief but didn't say anything.

"How was the test?" She asked

"Good, I guess " he answered, still sounding annoyed "She said the doctor was gonna be happy with it."

"Hopefully that means we can get you out of here today." Dru said

"The Doctor will be in as soon as he can" the nurse said as they arrived back at Hasil's room

Sensing that they would like some privacy, Joyce said "We'll go check in with the rest of the team while ya'll get ready to go"

"I'll be outside, but in line of sight if you need anything." Dru said as they headed for the door.

When they were alone, Sally Ann bent to fold up the foot stands on the wheelchair. She looked up at Hasil and said "What's wrong?" She knelt in front of him, resting her arms on his thighs.

"I just didn't like the way he was looking at you" Hasil said

"I don't think he meant any harm" Sally Ann said "I've known him since we were kids."

"Harming you wasn't his aim" Hasil explained "He wants what's mine"

"What are you talking about?" Sally Ann asked, frustrated

Hasil gently tilted her chin up and gave her a look…

"Ohhhh" she blushed "that's crazy! and even if he did – I told him I have a boyfriend."

Holding her eyes with his gaze, Hasil said "Boyfriend don't seem like a strong enough word"

Nodding, Sally Ann agreed "I know, but I don't know how else to describe you. We're not engaged or married, so fiancée or husband don't work. And I refuse to say "Baby Daddy". That leaves boyfriend if I'm describing you to someone else. But we know what we are, and you know I love you – right?" She stood and sat his lap.

"Yeah, I know. I love you too." Hasil said, pulling her close for a kiss. "If we see that fella on the way out, I might have to…"

"No! No, you don't have to" Sally Ann said with a smile, standing she said. "I'm gonna get us packed up"

Hasil watched her as she moved around the room gathering there belongings. As he stood to help, he thought to himself "I'm gonna have to do something about this boyfriend business….."


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Dru's team arrived at the hospital at 1240 escorted by Deputy Fults. Each was dressed in a dark suit, white shirt, dark sunglasses, and visibly armed. They marched silently through the hospital towards Hasil's room.

Joyce and Dru had joined Hasil and Sally Ann in the room.

"The game plan is to lay low at Joyce's place for the next day or two as we finish reviewing the evidence and formulate a game plan" Dru explained "We're going to try to get back there without being followed and have everyone keep out of sight for a couple of days."

"I have a doctors appointment and ultrasound scheduled tomorrow." Sally Ann said "I really should keep that appointment, they want me to check in weekly for now."

"Maybe they can do that here?" Joyce suggested "I bet Dr. Keith could help you get in to be seen."

"If that would work for you Sally Ann, that would be ideal" Dru said

Sally Ann nodded "That would be nice. You want to come to the ultrasound with me Babe?"

"I don't know what that is, the what?" Hasil asked

She put her hand on her growing bump "It's where they look at the baby to see if everything is okay, we might even be able to see if it's a boy or a girl by now"

Hasil was confused "Look at the baby? That won't harm you or the baby none?"

She shook her head "No! It's perfectly safe. It'll be fun"

He nodded "Alright, I could use some fun."

"I'll go talk to the nurse and get her to run it by the doctor" Joyce volunteered.

As Joyce was walking out, the team arrived. After introductions, Dru got down to business and addressed the room.

"Lets review our exit strategy while we wait for the doctor. We'll take the elevator down to the main floor. When we exit, I will have point and Claire will bring up the rear. Hasil and Sally Ann, you'll walk together - behind me and in front of Claire. Erica, you're on Sally Ann and Teddy you're on Hasil. They will walk next to you so we essentially have you surrounded. If someone see's a threat, they will call it out with a tactical instruction. Erica and Teddy, can you demonstrate?

Erica stood to the right of Teddy and they both started walking forward, suddenly Dru shouted "GUN! DOWN! LEFT!" Teddy reacted very quickly! He drew his weapon, put his hand on Erica's neck to force her head down and guided her to the left – commanding alternatively "DOWN MOVE DOWN MOVE. Dru thanked them and continued "That meant I spotted a gun, get down, and move left. Claire and I will deal with any threats, Teddy and Erica will ensure you stay safe."

Sally Ann was stunned at how quickly things moved. "That happened so fast"

"It usually does" Erica said "You saw how Teddy directed me both physically and verbally? That's to keep you from panicking, locking up….."

"Or asking a buncha questions….." Hasil said. Sally Ann turned to glare at him, his face dared her to say he was wrong

"Correct" Dru confirmed "You have to follow directions immediately in order to get to safety quickly. Any questions?"

"If anything happens, Sally Ann comes first…her and the baby can't be harmed" Hasil declared.

"We will get you out of here safely" Dru promised.

Claire stepped forward "Why don't we go do a perimeter check? Then we can take a look at the hospital cameras. Call us when you're ready to move."

"Sounds good. Your mood has certainly improved" Dru observed

"Coffee and an egg sandwich, saving lives since mid morning." Claire quipped

* * *

 

Matt Myers was in his office with the door closed and the blinds drawn. He should be reviewing FEMA reports on the Dam burst, but concentrating was a chore. There wasn't a place that didn't hurt thanks to Arnie and Hanks visit this morning. He opened up his desk drawer and grabbed his flask, adding more vodka to his orange juice.

Twenty years. Twenty years he'd been doing Don's dirty work, making him a rich man.

"One mistake and this is how he treats me?!" He said to himself, taking a drink.

Granted, he shouldn't have let Haylie get to him but he offered her a way out – more than once. It was really her own fault she was dead, she should have walked away.

Without Arnie and his guys, he was alone here. Hell, he wasn't even sure the lawyers would show up with Don's say so! Shit!

"What the hell is that Keystone Cop up to? Does he have anything to tie me to her death?" He asked himself.

I need some back up. Reaching for his cell phone, Matt searched for a number he'd hoped to never have to use again. He hadn't used it since West Virginia.

"Billy Johnson! How the hell are you, man?"

* * *

 

Arnie Wilkes was listening to the bug he'd dropped in Matt's key and could not believe what he was hearing. This was unmitigated stupidity! He be pouring gasoline on a fire by calling in that psycho Bill Johnson!

Arnie was reaching for the phone to call Don when Hank called.

"Hey Boss. Bunch of suits pulled up in a black SUV about 20 minutes ago. They just came out and started walking around the building and checking cars, so I moved up the block."

"Can you still see the SUV?" Arnie asked

"Yeah, I still got eyes on the door and they parked in the ambulance bay. They can't pull out without me seeing"

"Let me know when they leave, and try to follow them." He ordered "Be discreet, we can't afford to get made. Where are the rest of the guys?"

"Mick is set up to tail the Sheriff if he leaves the station. We ain't been able to find the sister, Ty is still out looking. Joey and Donnie are making sure the warehouse is clean."

Arnie leaned forward and pressed his fingers to his temples, he didn't like not knowing all the players "Get Joey and Donnie off the warehouse and have them staged close to the hospital. Do a hand off tail, you should be able to keep them in sight rotating between 3 cars. I wanna know who these guys are and where they're going."

"You got it boss" Hank said

Arnie's held the phone to his forehead and took a deep breath. He needed to update Mr. Fushee.

* * *

 

Lil Foster was holding Ray while G'win fixed him lunch. They'd spent the morning helping the elders ration out water and flour to his cousins. It broke his heart to see the fear on their faces. Everyone knew there wasn't enough to get them through the winter. Something had to be done soon, and it would fall on the new Bren'in to lead them through it.

Lord! Do I have the strength for this? This enemy, this struggle….am I the man to lead us? G'win was so sure he was the one. Big Foster gave his blessing for him to become Bren'in, but he knew that wasn't pure.

His Fa had been surprised to see him yesterday. Lil Foster had been surprised to see Big was sober.

"What're you doin here?" Big asked

"Ain't seen you since the council, just wanted to see how you're getting along" Lil Foster said, surprised to hear sadness in Big's voice

Big took a deep breath and slowly blew it out "I been better, but I guess I should be thankful to be alive when so many boys didn't make home".

Lil Foster sat across from Big on the porch. He was silent, head bowed, thinking of all the family he'd lost in such a short time.

Big broke the silence "You gonna take it?"

Lil Foster raised his head and locked eyes with his Fa "It's my duty." He said simply

"It's your right! But I'll confess I hoped to be dead when it came to pass. That woman was my downfall" Big turned his head to spit over the railing "I lost everything and this family is in danger on account of her weakness."

Lil Foster was shocked at the hatred in his voice "What woman?"

"G'win! I'll tell you what, you take The Oak you better get far away from her." He said, pointing his finger at Lil Foster "She'll be your ruin sure as she was mine."

Lil Foster could feel his blood boiling. "The darkness that haunts your soul and made you kill your Ma - that was your ruin. G'win saw it, she was just trying to protect the clan!"

"Well she did a shit job now didn't she? If she'd have let me be, none of this woulda happened!"

As they both stood, eyes still locked – Lil Foster saw the Reihythn staring at him through his Fa's eyes.

Turning his back to his son, Big Foster leaned over the porch railing "I'm sorry, I know she wasn't to blame for the things I done. I just…. I fear for our family and our way's, and I don't know how to protect us."

Standing behind him, Lil Foster shook off the shock of what he'd seen to answer "I feel the same way. We need everyone of us if we're to to survive what's coming." Taking a deep breath, he asked "We need you. Are you with us?"

When Big Foster turned around, the eyes the met Lil Foster were the familiar eyes of his Fa "Of course I am son. You got my blessing, if you even want it. You be the Bren'in I couldn't be. You're the true returned one"

Lil Foster was so lost in thought, he hadn't noticed Ray had fallen asleep. He carried her back to her bed as G'win started to serve the food. Phil'up had thought Big Foster was going to try to hurt him, but he knew that wasn't his plan. Lil Foster saw it in his eyes, he intended to kill G'win.

* * *

 

With the kids gone, Ledda was staying at Joyce's place with the ACLU Team. She'd spent the morning helping Arlene and Kathy research the Bankston WV poisoning Haylie talked about in her email. Ledda still had a hard time believing such evil existed in the world. Nine people died. The state of WV accepted testing from One Planet of the soil and water as the only evidence of what caused the poisoning. They claimed it was Algae. It didn't take much digging to find out the Governors son was named VP of International Operations for a One Planet Subsidiary just over a year after this happened. Kathy was "following the money" to see what more they could come up with; they'd found wire transfers, stock transfers, land sold for pennies on the dollar.

Ledda had bought groceries with her when she came, they wanted to keep a low profile so that meant no ordering food. Ellis was helping her cook for the group, she knew they would be 5 more occupants coming back with Dru and Joyce. She wanted to help anyway she could, and this was one way to contribute.

"Thank you for taking on Wade as a client. We would have never dreamed we'd be in this position, and we're just so grateful ya'll are here to help." Ledda said as they worked together on chopping vegetables.

Ellis smiled "No thanks necessary. We all do this for a reason, so the work is it's own reward."

Ledda handed him a bundle of celery to start on "What's your reason, if you don't mind my asking?"

"I grew up in Oklahoma, and instead of coal it was oil." Ellis said "My Granddaddy was a Sheriff, he stood up to some dirty politicians and they nearly ruined him for it. That's how I came to specialize in Whistleblower defense. I just try to help folks like my Granddaddy survive the good fight."

"Do you know Gordon too?" Ledda asked

"You mean Tim? Yeah, he went to school with Arlene and me. They were college sweethearts. He came from a long line of environmentalists. His twin sister was killed our junior year protesting logging up in Washington. Timmy was never the same after that. He's still good person, but his tactics aren't for us. Anyway, he reaches out to some of us that went to school with him when he gets involved in things like this and he knows we can make a difference for some good people."

Wade was sure he was responsible for the Dam break and that he manipulated the Farrell's into helping. That was a lot of collateral damage. She's could see why they didn't agree with is tactics. Ledda always felt there was more to Gordon's story, she saw anger wrapped in sorrow flash in his eyes when he talked about people who destroyed the earth. They destroyed more than that for him.

Ellis interrupted her thoughts "So what's your reason?"

"I'm still not sure I know. It may just be my version of a mid-life crisis, but that mountain is part of us here. Its watched over this valley for 100's of years and I've seen it everyday of my life. To destroy that beauty and the spirits that dwell there would irrevocably damage the people who call it home and all of us who live in its shadow. In my eyes, its is literally a sin." Ledda smiled and continued "I keep telling my brother that God has a plan for me, and he keeps looking at me like I've lost my mind. But I believe He wants me to help save the mountain. It took me a long time to believe that was his plan because my husband was killed up there. But I know Breece went up there to make peace, he wouldn't have gone for any other reason." Ledda stopped, her voice catching. She blinked back her tears and continued "To tell them they were safe from us and so was the mountain. I think God is giving me the chance to make sure Brecce's promise is honored."

Ellis handed her a paper towel "I'm so sorry about your husband. What you're doing is beautiful, and it takes a lot of heart to see things the way you do. We'll have your back all the way, God sent you a team.

* * *

 

Dr. Keith finally made it to the room at 230PM. He announced he was discharging Hasil, and they were free to go once some paperwork was completed.

"You're healing at an accelerated rate. I've seen studies, but this is the first time I've treated someone in this category. You're nearly two weeks ahead of where the average person would be after the trauma you endured." Dr. Keith gushed "Its really amazing"

"I sure appreciate everything ya'll have done for me Doc, you saved my life" Hasil said, extending his hand

"No thanks necessary. Come back and see me in two weeks, I am anxious to see where you are by then." Dr. Keith replied.

Turning to Sally Ann, he said "Janice will be in shortly to take you in for your ultrasound. Have you seen Dr. Stewart yet?"

"Yes! And thank you so much for getting us in, she agreed to be my new doctor. She is a much better fit for me." Sally Ann said

Joyce had returned with Janice shortly after the team departed for the perimeter check. Sally Ann was going to see Dr. Susan Stewart and they had her ultrasound set up for 3PM.

Dru and Erica escorted Sally Ann and Hasil down to the OB/GYN offices. Dru sat in the waiting room and Erica waited outside the exam room.

When Dr. Stewart walked in, Sally Ann and introduced herself – Sally Ann smiled, she didn't know there were any black doctors in Blackburg.

"Thank you for seeing me on such short notice Dr. Stewart" Sally Ann said, and Hasil agreed "Thank you kindly ma'am"

"I'm happy to do it! Now, I got your file from Dr. Harris's office. I'm not sure I agree you need to been seen once a week, you only have two Polyps and the weren't very big. Lets do our exam and see how things are going, shall we?"

Hasil held Sally Ann's hand as Dr. Stewart completed the pelvic exam.

"Miss Sally Ann, you no longer have Polyps." Dr Stewart said "You're the picture of health my dear."

Sally Ann gasped "Really? How could that happen?"

"They can sometimes resolve themselves, but I'm guessing they dislodged during intercourse." Dr Stewart said "You're very healthy otherwise, weight and vitals are good, uterus and cervix look great!"

Hasil looked at Sally Ann, some of this was going over his head but he could tell she was much happier with this visit and doctor. "Ma'am, could you see your way to being Sally Ann's doctor? Neither of us much care for that Dr. Harris"

Dr. Stewart smiled "I would be honored. Go ahead and get dressed, when the nurse comes in she'll schedule you for an appointment 4 weeks out. The Polyps can reappear, so if you have anymore bleeding give us a call so we can get you in for a quick exam, okay?"

As soon as she left the room, Hasil helped Sally Ann off the table. "What'd all that mean?"

"The Polyps that made me bleed are gone now, they were knocked off." She explained

"I got that part" Hasil said "But how?"

"She said most likely during intercourse." Seeing he was still confused, she elaborated "Sex…..I'm pretty sure it was morning glory in the shower last week"

"Well ain't that fine!" Hasil said proudly "Now that I know that, I'll try to make more regular patrols to keep em from coming back"

* * *

 

The ultrasound tech, Letty, explained the process to Sally Ann and Hasil. She asked if there were any questions before they began.

"You're sure this won't cause neither of em harm?" Hasil asked again

"It's completely harmless" Letty said "I promise. You ready Sally Ann?"

Sally Ann nodded, she tried not to flinch when the cold gel was applied.

Letty rolled the wand over Sally Ann's belly "There you are!" She said. Pointing to the screen she said "There's your baby"

Sally Ann and Hasil held hands and stared, both speechless.

"Here's the heartbeat" Letty said and the sound filled the room

"That's really the baby's heart?" Hasil asked, he felt like his own heart was in his throat

"Yes, and its very strong. All the internals, brain structure, collar zone – everything looks great." Letty answered

Sally Ann hadn't taken her eyes off the screen, she could hardly see it now through her tears. Letty gestured behind Hasil and he grabbed some Kleenex for her.

"Thanks Babe. Look what we made!" She said, squeezing his hand and leaning into him

"I see Darlin, and I hear. His heart is a strong as yours!" Hasil said

Turning to look at him, she asked "How do you know it's a boy?"

"I guess its just a feeling" he replied, leaning down to kiss her lips

"Would you like to know for sure?" Letty asked

Sally Ann looked at Hasil "I would, that okay?"

"Anything you want is okay. I'd like to know to"

"Let me see if I can turn baby just a little to get a peek. Mom, roll to your left just a bit…..there we go! Letty exclaimed, pointing to the screen "Hello Baby Boy Farrell"

 


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Wade knew he was being followed. He'd called Dru and told him and was taking his advice to let the guy follow him for now. It was hard, cause the jackass was damn obvious. He'd only gone out to grab lunch and pick up dry cleaning, but if the guy was watching him that was one less person watching Dru's team as they left the hospital. He was glad they'd sent the kids away, if they were bold enough to follow a cop he wasn't willing to take any chances.

When he got back to his desk, Wade called Herb Bloom, the hotel General Manager, to check and see if he could go out to look at more video tomorrow. He didn't want jackass following him there today.

Herb hesitated before responding "I was planning on calling you Wade, I think I got a problem. Jackie who works my front desk told me Jon Campos always shows up and noses around after you visit. My secretary Gina said the same thing. Jon's a janitor and usually comes by her office late in the day, but anytime you visit he shows up right after. Both said he asks questions and tries to get gossipy about Ms. Grimes and why you're here. They came to me together cause they both thought his behavior was unusual, and Jackie said it was getting kinda creepy."

"How long has this Jon worked there Herb? Any trouble with him?" Wade asked

"About 7 years, he's one of my senior janitors" Herb responded "Nice guy for the most part, recently divorced and he's had a couple of garnishments – but shows up reliably."

Perfect target for someone looking for information, Wade thought to himself "Was he working the night Ms. Grimes died?"

Herb looked up the schedule "No, he wasn't on the schedule. Let me see if there was any activity from his employee access card."

"What would that give him access to?" Wade asked

"As a janitor, the employee entrance which requires a badge to get in or out, everything but guest rooms, management and security offices." Herb paused, he sounded surprised as he continued "He swiped into the employee entrance at 10:02PM that night. Then he had two out swipes, but no more in swipes. He badged out at 10:53PM and out again at 10:57 PM"

Myers called Haylie at 10:48PM that night. Wade clasped his hands together and said a silent prayer as he asked "You got a camera at the employee entrance Herb?"

"You bet your ass I do. Gimme an hour, I'll call you back with what I find."

Wade made a quick call to Donnie and asked him to try to locate Myers cell phone the night Haylie died. Donnie was quicker than Herb with technology, he had the information in 5 minutes. Based on the cell tower data, he was within a mile radius of the hotel.

* * *

 

Hasil was waiting in the hospital room while Sally Ann worked through the discharge paperwork with the hospital folks. Joyce and Dru were with her and his team was outside the room. It was the first time he'd been alone since he woke up.

A boy…..I'm was gonna have a son, he thought to himself.

Closing his eyes and leaning back, he thought about how different his life was before he met Sally Ann. Not that he wasn't enjoying himself, but he didn't know he had hopes and dreams until he saw her that day. He'd always wanted more, but he didn't know he could be more until he looked into her eyes. Lord, those eyes…so rich, deep, kind, warm…..he wanted more than anything to live up to the love and trust he saw in them.

That night Butch came to make peace, they'd left after supper to do some training. On the car ride to Butch's place, he'd said it out loud for the first time.

"I wanna ask Sally Ann to marry me."

"What?!" Butch exclaimed "Bro! Ya'll just said I love you for the first time like a week ago. What's the rush?"

"Ain't no rush, it's just time." Hasil said calmly "She's mine and I'm hers, that's the way its always gonna be. I'm done courtin Butch, girlfriend don't fit the way I feel. I want her to be my wife. I want her to carry my name."

"Maybe you should give it some time, man. Get used to being together." Butch advised. "You even sure she'll say yes?"

"No" Hasil smiled wryly "but if I let that stop me we wouldn't be together now. I already got me a ring picked out."

Butch shook his head as they pulled up to his place. "Let's see what Frieda thinks about this, maybe she can talk some sense into you."

"OH MY GOD! That's wonderful Hasil! Frieda exclaimed, hugging Hasil.

Butch threw up his hands and walked out of the kitchen.

"Thank you ma'am." Hasil replied "I got me a ring picked out, but I need some help to get it." He pulled something out of his bag and handed it to Frieda. It was a Zales newspaper insert.

"This one here." Hasil pointed out a Diamond Braid Vintage-Style Bridal Set in 10K White Gold. "The braid reminds me of how she had her hair that first day we met. You think she'd like it?"

"This is perfect. It's beautiful and she's gonna love it" Frieda promised.

"Well she ain't gonna love the price, I can already here her talkin bout how it ain't in the budget." Hasil sighed.

"Less than $800 is a good price for a bridal set! But…..I got family in the jewelry business, let me see if I can get it wholesale." Frieda offered.

"Get it what? I don't know what that is, but I got my heart set on this one for her…" Hasil said

"It just means get it for the cost the store pays for it. Let me take a picture of the ad and I'll make some calls." She promised

Frieda was able to get the exact ring he wanted, she showed it to Hasil the night of the fight.

"Will you keep it for me Miss Frieda?" Hasil asked "I don't want her to come across it by mistake."

"I'll guard it with my life" Frieda swore, putting the ring back in cabinet above the refrigerator "Let me know if you need any help when you're ready"

Hasil smiled and nodded "Thank you ma'am. I told Butch to take the money for the ring out of any betting winnings. If there ain't enough to cover it, ya'll let me know so I can make it right."

"What are ya'll whispering about?" Sally Ann said walking into the kitchen

"I was just asking Hasil if he wanted to bet on how many times we had to stop for you to go to the bathroom on the way to the fight" Frieda quipped. Sally Ann rolled her eyes and turned on her heel to walk out. Smiling, they followed her to the car.

A knock on the door brought him back to the hospital room. "Come in"

He was happy to see Butch walk in. "Hey Butch"

"Hey Bro" Butch greeted "Got everything y'all wanted."

"Thanks man. Where's your lady?" Hasil asked

"We ran into Sally Ann in the hallway and they took off to the bathroom." Butch replied "So you're having a boy?"

"Yeah!" Hasil said, his face lighting up "We got to see him on the ultrasound today."

"Congratulations man! From the look on your face, I'm guessing you're still wanting that ring" Butch said, smiling and handing Hasil a small duffle "Frieda rolled the ring box into a pair of your socks. Make sure you get it out of there before she see's it."

"I can't thank ya'll enough Butch…..." Hasil started.

Butch raised his hand to stop him "Stop. Ya'll are family. So where are they taking you?"

Dru had warned Hasil and Sally Ann they couldn't say where they would be, for everyone's safety.

"Don't know. They said a safe house, but it's a secret." Hasil explained "We'll be back as soon as its safe."

Dru knocked on the door and stuck his head in "It's almost time Hasil, you need anything else loaded up?"

"I'd appreciate help with these two here. I'll keep this one with me." He said, patting the small duffle.

Turning to Butch, Hasil said clapped him on the shoulder "Lets go find the girls so we can make our goodbyes."

* * *

 

Emelye held baby Ray as she sat by her parent's fireplace. G'win bought her a cup of tea and sat next to her. They were waiting for Lil Foster and Krake to return from a secret meeting with Phil'up.

"Em, I don't know how to help him. Foster believes his Fa means to kill me if he becomes Bren'in and he believes his Fa would kill us all if he don't". G'win said angrily

"Nobody in this clan would stand for that, we'll make sure you're protected." Emelye promised "I don't take banishment lightly, but its likely the only way to change minds about how we win against the coal folks. We gotta pull the weed out by the root."

"I know. I wished I'd of done it when I had the chance." G'win said "Things would….."

She turned as she heard the door open as Lil Foster and Krake walked in . G'win rose to get both men a warm drink.

"How'd it go?" Emelye asked

Krake answered "Big Foster had Phil'up account for all the fire and bury them behind the old smokehouse. He wasn't drunk at the time, so proclaimed he was being cautious."

"Krake and me dropped off a couple bottles of wine, so Phil'up is gonna try to get him talking after while." Lil Foster explained "Once he is down from the wine, we're gonna take the guns and throw em off Shay's peak. Ain't no place for fire on this mountain from now on."

"Foster, he's gonna go crazy if he figures out those guns are gone." G'win warned

"Right now he's trying real hard to make us think he wants to keep the peace" Foster replied "So we're hoping he won't go looking for them until he does go crazy, then'll we'll know just where to find him."

Both Emelye and G'win looked surprised to hear Foster talk like that.

Krake smiled "That there is called thinking strategically!" He raised his cup "To our future Bren'in, GED GED YAH!"

* * *

 

Wade's phone finally rang "What you got, Herb?"

"Jon let someone in Wade." Herb said, Wade could hear the anger in his voice "When he badged out at 10:53 PM it was just to open the door to let someone in. The guy gave him an envelope, and they walked off together. The second time Jon badged out, at 10:57PM, he exited the building. The guy he let in wasn't with him"

"Now calm down Herb" Wade said "Do you recognize the guy he let in?"

"I don't" Herb said "I'll get Jon in here tomorrow and get to the bottom of this…"

"No!" Wade admonished "Look Herb, you can't let on that you know any of this. You gotta keep it confidential. Please. You can't say nothing to nobody until I give you the all clear. Okay?"

"Alright Sheriff" Herb agreed "But this is a clear policy violation"

"I'm gonna focus on the accessory to murder part of it." Wade said "Herb, these people are dangerous. When I say don't say nothing to nobody, I mean that. You got it?!"

"I got it Wade" Herb said "What do you need from me?"

"Can you email the videos, a copy of the badge records, and the work schedule?" Wade asked

"Yeah Sheriff, right away . Anything else?" Herb replied

"You think you can look at more video and see if you can figure out when that guy left?" Wade requested.

"That might take awhile, but yes – I can do it. I'll get the email out as quick as I can and call you back when I find something"

As Wade hung up he immediately called Dru to report the latest development. He was now fairly sure that Matt Myers didn't order Haylie's murder. He now believed he killed her himself.

* * *

 

Hasil and Sally Ann were briefed and the team was ready to move.

With Dru on point, Claire in the rear, and Erica and Teddy flanking, the team marched through the hotel and out the emergency room door. Turning as they exited the building, they disappeared into the ambulance bay. 15 minutes later the driver pulled out and headed east.

* * *

 

Hank called Arnie "They're on the move, headed east. We're on them."

"Keep me posted" Arnie ordered "We need to know where they're staying."

Hank set up a 3 way call with the other boys to get a 3 way tail going. Each would follow for a short distance and hand off the tail to keep from getting made.

When Hank picked them up again after 20 minutes, they were heading out of town. He dropped the other calls and called Arnie back "Looks like they're heading out of town Boss, toward Louisville"

"Stay with em, Louisville is only a few hours from here." Arnie said "If they make a stop, see if you can get some pictures."

After about an hour, they stopped at the Sunoco in Covington. Hank pulled in and started to fill up while keeping a close eye on the SUV. The driver got out with a bag and opened the door to the backseat and placed it inside. When he opened the door, Hank did a double take. There was nobody in the vehicle!


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Things were beginning to make sense to Wade. It hadn't made sense to him that someone would try to kill Hasil. There were probably dozens of people on the mountain who could testify to the fact that Haylie had been up there. And you just had to take new samples to prove the water and soil were poisoned, so there was no hiding that either. It was stupid and arrogant to think that a fence and killing Hasil would keep the truth from coming out. So it made sense that Matt Meyers was leading that effort. But Arnie Wilkes wasn't stupid. He was suspected in some serious crimes, but there was never enough evidence to lead to an arrest. The guy was smart and careful, and could not be directly to any criminal activity. It had not made sense that he would make these moves.

On the way home from the hospital after the failed attempt on Hasil's life, Wade drove by Meyers condo. He pulled up and walked over to Matt's truck, there was condensation on the windows. Placing his hand on the hood, Wade found the engine cold. Still, he had a hunch Myers was somehow involved. The lights were on in Myers place, so he decided to pull into a stand of trees and watch for awhile. He saw Wilkes pull up with one guy. Myers answered the door when Wilkes knocked, but it looked like the sidekick forced his way inside. After about 10 minutes, the door swung open. Wade sat up, he could see Myers kneeling with his hands raised. Wilkes was holding a gun when he walked out, his sidekick closed the door behind them. At the time, Wade wasn't sure if Wilkes was pissed because the attempt failed, or pissed because it happened. He now believed it was the latter.

He shared all that information with Dru. "I think Haylie's murder and the attempt on Hasil are Myers doing. He's panicking and Wilkes is trying to keep his stupidity under control."

"If there is a riff there, it will come in handy in selling our case to the Department of Justice" Dru agreed "Either one or both of them could fill in a lot of blanks on One Planet. We will be heading out of here in about 15 minutes."

"Call and let me know ya'll have made it to base, then we can set up meeting for tonight. I'll get the information from the hotel over to Kat as soon as I get it" Wade said

"Sounds good. Things are coming together nicely, I think the next 48 hours will be critical" Dru responded. "We have most of the pieces in place."

* * *

 

As they turned into the ambulance bay, Dru broke off and Erica took the lead and kept the group moving toward the back of the bay.

Dru approached the waiting vehicle. "Hey Jimbo"

The driver exited and walked toward the back of the vehicle "Hey Dru" He greeted, as he opened the back to grab a small duffle bag.

Dru took off his jacket and dress shirt, and handed them to Jim in exchange for the bag. Jim Booker was with the Louisville security team for ACLU and volunteered to play decoy.

"Anything happening on the ground?" Dru asked as he took a ball cap, hoodie, and cheap sunglasses out of the bag.

"Negative. Same asshole hunched down in his seat, white Nissan across the street two buildings to the west. I got out to have a smoke and scanned the area, couldn't spot any other players." Jim reported, placing Dru's items in the bag.

"Thanks man, give us 10 minutes then head east." Dru said and turned to jog towards the waiting group. Looking over his shoulder, he warned "That's an Armani jacket and shirt, I want them back!"

The team was waiting near a door at the back of the ambulance bay.

"Alright guys, in this door – down the hall about 200 yards and then through a door that leads us to the loading dock" Dru said. "Joyce is waiting there in the van with another member of the Louisville team. Jimbo will watch this door and pull out in about 10 minutes, I want to be in the van and moving in 5. Erica on point with me, Claire and Teddy watching our six. Hasil, make sure you guys stay at least 20 feet behind me"

Dru's team shifted positions, forcing Hasil and Sally Ann between them. Looking over at Sally Ann, Hasil could tell she was nervous. He squeezed her hand and raised it for a kiss. "It's gonna be alright"

Sally Ann nodded, but didn't respond. She just wanted to get out of here. She gasped as Dru pulled his weapon and the team followed his lead.

"Safety's off" Dru instructed. Teddy moved to place his hand on the door and when Dru nodded, he opened it and Dru stepped in with he weapon raised. "All clear" He called.

Erica stepped in and Teddy gestured for Hasil and Sally Ann to follow. Hasil stepped forward, pulling Sally Ann with him. Dru and Erica set a brisk pace, Hasil kept Sally Ann moving and tried to keep the distance Dru asked for. At the end of the hall Dru stopped and put up his hand, bringing everyone to a halt. He put his hand to his ear piece for a moment, then gestured for them to move forward. Erica opened the door and stepped out – Claire and Teddy quickly closed the distance until they were close enough to touch Sally Ann and Hasil. As soon as they stepped into the garage, Teddy and Claire flanked Hasil and Sally Ann and guided them to the waiting van. A man dressed like Dru stepped out of the driver seat, took off the hoodie and hat and threw them back into the van. Erica stepped in and sat in the very back with Joyce. Hasil and Sally Ann took the middle row, and Claire and Teddy settled in the front row. The man who vacated the drivers seat closed the sliding door, and walked briskly away. Dru took the drivers seat, there were no windows in the van – so he was the only person visible. The van exited the parking garage heading north.

Teddy looked at his watch "4 minutes 9 seconds" Teddy informed the group.

Claire dialed Deputy Fults, who was watching from the hospital security office on the 10th floor. "You got eyes on us? Good, standby. Dru will make a few turns, let me know what you see".

Dru made a right turn, then went up two blocks and made a series of left turns.

"Good, thanks for your help deputy." Claire said hanging up. "Nobody on our tail, clear to return to base"

* * *

 

"We got about 5 weeks worth of flour left" Krake advised the Elders "Probably go down to 4 once folks see we're getting low and start taking more than they need."

"That gives us a little time. With what just happened, we can't go on a run right now." Emelye said. "The naming ceremony for Baby Ray is in two days, we'll meet to hear Foster's decision on taking the Oak the next morn."

"You think he's ready for this?" Cousin Willem asked nobody in particular

Krake answered "I think he is. We ain't gonna win any kind of war with the those folks. Fighting won't lead to nothing but more death and loss. We need peace. Since they had him in one of them prisons, he knows what losing would mean for us. He'll let that guide him in seeking peace."

"Well that's fine" Willem said "Knowing what losing would mean is important, but we need someone who knows what to do to win too! We gotta learn how to stake a claim to our land and prove we got a right to be here. If we didn't have some right, they'd a been up here by now."

"And somebody has got to be held to account for the damage they done!" Shurn exclaimed "They need to make things right, we need to be able to plant crops and we need water."

"You're each of you right" Emelye agreed "But first we gotta have a leader, after the coronation we can work together to find a way through this without losing anymore of our family."

* * *

 

Hank couldn't believe his eyes. What the hell happened? He followed that SUV for an hour, he didn't lose them and they didn't stop once. He reached for his phone to call Arnie, keeping the driver in sight.

"Boss, we just stopped at a gas station about an hour out of Blackburg….and somehow they pulled a fast one, ain't nobody in the SUV." Hank explained

"What?!" Arnie bellowed "How the hell did that happen Hank?!"

"I'm sorry" he apologized "I don't know. We were on them with the 3 way tail, we stayed in contact and nobody lost sight."

"Did you see them get in the SUV?" Arnie asked

"Yeah! I mean, I saw em walk out and go into the bay where the truck was waiting. It was the same truck they came in…."Hank said, slowly realizing where he'd screwed up

Arnie sighed "Just get back here."

"I'm sorry Boss, you want me to talk to the driver? I can make him to tell me where they went." Hank offered

"Snatch the guy in broad daylight? You met your stupid quota by losing them, you want extra credit?! Get your ass back here!" Arnie shouted and hung up

* * *

 

Dru dropped everyone off up front and drove the van into the barn.

Sally Ann and Hasil were getting settled in there room when Joyce knocked and told them food was on the table

"You go on down and eat with everyone" Hasil asked Sally Ann "I'm a little tired, I wanna lay down for a spell."

Sally Ann looked at him "You okay?"

"Yeah, that shot the nurse gave me ain't wore off quite yet. I'm alright," He assured her, smiling "You go on, you need to keep my boy fed"

Sally Ann smiled and leaned down to kiss him. "Don't try to unpack without me, just take it easy"

"Yes ma'am, I can do that" he reached up to cup her cheek and met her lips. "Love you"

"Love you too Babe " she said replied.

Hasil snaked his hand around her waist and lowered his head to kiss her belly "Love you lil man, make sure your Ma takes it easy on the hot sauce. She's mean when she gets heart burn"

Sally Ann laughed "I don't have any in my purse, so you might be spared. I'll be back to check on you in about and hour and a half, you'll need to take your meds then."

Hasil laid back and listened as Sally Ann's foot steps faded. Getting up, he grabbed the bag Butch had given him – he needed to hide the ring before she unpacked. He found the ring box in a small bag inside a pair of his socks. Looking around the room, he was hesitant to touch anything – this was the nicest place he'd ever been inside. He decided on the fern in the corner as the perfect spot. Parting the leaves, he set the bag in the back at the base of the plant.

Laying back down, he thought to himself. "Now I just need to get the gumption up to ask…"

* * *

 

Sally Ann enjoyed dinner, it felt good to be out of the hospital and to feel safe. She was amazed at the women on this team, it was exciting to see them leading. Sally Ann had never been this close to so much girl power – it was inspiring.

Turning to Kat, she said "I'd like to help. Is there anything I can do?"

"Well, I am doing double duty, researching and building the database, so I could use some help with that." She replied "You can help scan for keywords and phrases in research material or if you have any experience with MS Access, you can plug information into the database ….."

"I used Access in High School and took an online college course, but I'm probably a little rusty" Sally Ann said "I'm willing to try if you'd like"

"You just became my hero of the day!" Kat exclaimed "I'll get you set up on a laptop next to me and help anytime you get stuck"

"Okay, let me check on Hasil real quick and then I'm all yours!" Smiling as she headed back up the stairs.

She found Hasil still asleep in there room. He looked so peaceful, sitting down next to him she leaned over and gave him a soft kiss.

"Baby…..Hasil…" She whispered, stroking his hair

"Hmmmmm…."He said, without opening his eyes – he reached for her, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her to him. He buried his head in her chest and sighed.

"Time to take your meds" She whispered into his hair "You have to eat something when you take em"

"Don't wanna" He mumbled, angling his head up to kiss her neck. He slid his hand down and grabbed the back of her thigh. He pulled her leg over his hip and rolled on his back, taking her with him.

Sally Ann gasped as she found herself straddling him. "Hasil! Your stitches, you gotta be…"

"Careful?" He interrupted, opening his eyes and grinning up at her "C'mere" He said as he raised his hands to cup her face and pull her in for a long slow kiss.

When they finally came up for air, Sally Ann rested her forehead on his and tried to get her breathing under control. "Hasil Farrell" She whispered breathlessly "You need to behave" Kissing his cheek, she sat up. "At least for now" She continued with a smile. Lord, he was giving her that look…..

"Stop looking at me like that! You will be staying on schedule for your meds, so come on…." She said getting off of him and on her feet

Hasil swung his legs over the bed, and stood up slowly.

Sally Ann took a step back, he was still giving her that look. "Hasil….." She warned, backing up.

He didn't respond as he continued to move forward, his eyes locked on hers. They both stopped when her back hit the door.

Sally Ann closed her eyes and put her hand on his chest. This damn man…taking a deep breath she opened her eyes.

When her eyes opened, Hasil put his hand on her face and said softly "I miss you" as he pulled her in for another long kiss.

Sally Ann slid her arms around his neck and lost herself in his kiss. They stood there for what seemed like an eternity, just holding each other.

"I miss you too Baby" Sally Ann whispered, breaking the silence. "But your family needs us, we got work to do downstairs."

Hasil sighed, pulling back and kissing her forehead "Needs US?"

"Yes, your crazy ass cousins need us….and I need you. Meds? Please?" She said, smiling sweetly.

Hasil took a step back "Alright, meds and a cold shower it is"

* * *

 

Sally Ann returned downstairs and left Hasil to get cleaned up. The war room was buzzing, the entire ACLU team appeared to be hard at work.

"I've got you set up here Sally Ann" Kat said as she walked in

"I just need to grab something for Hasil to eat and I'll be right there" Sally Ann said as she headed for the kitchen.

Ledda and Joyce were in the kitchen cleaning up when she walked in, both women greeted her.

"Hasil ready to eat?" Asked Joyce

Sally Ann nodded "Yes ma'am, he's just getting cleaned up now"

"What can he eat?" Ledda asked

"Soup maybe? It needs to be pretty bland and easy to digest" Sally Ann responded.

Ellis appeared at the kitchen doorway "Ms. Joyce, can we get your opinion on case we'd like to reference?"

"Of course!" Joyce excused herself and followed Ellis out.

Ledda found some chicken and rice soup. "I'll add some carrots to it to make it a bit more filling"

"Joyce told me what you did for Hasil. Thank you." Sally Ann said sincerely "You saved his life."

"Anybody would have done the same" Ledda said, blushing as she turned to face her

"That's not true. Especially after what happened to your husband….." Sally Ann found herself choking up "I don't know how….."

Ledda took her hand, interrupting "Hasil isn't responsible for what happened to my husband, and Breece would expect me to do just what I did. Come on, lets get this food fixed so we can help get the people who are really responsible for all of this"

* * *

 

Arnie Wilkes is frustrated. Don Fushee would be in town tomorrow, and he had no information on who they were up against. He'd located all but two of Tim Aldrich's known contacts and so far hadn't been able to track them. Chances are they were in the vicinity, but he didn't like not knowing. One thing for sure, the team that took the Farrell kid out of the hospital were pro's.

He had a bad feeling about this job. It was too big to control, Feds were now involved, and people had died. Plus Meyers was a wild card. There little talk obviously didn't have the effect he and Don had hoped since Myers next move had been to call a psycho and invite him to the party. At least that was handled, he thought – he'd received an early morning photo via text of Bill Johnson's car engulfed in flames.

Arnie finished the memo he was typing and attached it to an email to is brother, Wes Wilkes – VP of Procurement and Logistics for One Planet. He also attached an audio file. As was there agreement, he left the subject line blank and in the body of the email typed – HS – then hit send.

* * *

 

Hasil joined everyone in the war room after taking his shower. He wasn't sure what all was going on in here, but it looked like some serious business. Sally Ann was working with Kat and seemed real excited about helping.

Dru sat down with him as he ate his meal."We're gonna have a call with the Sheriff in about an hour and talk about our next move. But I'm hoping you can fill in some blanks about what's going on up on Shay Mountain."

Hasil eyed Dru, resisting his natural instinct to keep clan business from outsiders "Alright, like what?"

"Haylie Grimes said the soil and water had been poisoned? What can you tell me about that?" Dru asked

Hasil was instantly angry "I was down here when it happened, but what I hear is that a small plane came over low and dropped a bunch of poison on the 3 of our crop fields and our best spring. A little boy died. He was out hunting frogs and got poisoned."

"What was his name?" Dru asked quietly

"Silas Shay." Hasil said "He was 7 summers"

"You have my word, someone will answer for his death." Dru promised "Is that why Haylie was brought up there?"

Hasil took a deep breath "Yeah. The idea was to make her see the harm they were causing and get her to put a stop to it. We thought she was the boss. No harm came to her when she was up there"

Dru nodded and asked " Do you know if that's why they came to town and took flour and water?"

"That's exactly why. Things are gonna be tight up there, we lost near half the winter harvest. They can plant cold weather crops, and there's other water near – but they're gonna have a hard winter." Hasil explained "They only took what they felt was owed on account of the poisoning."

Dru was taking notes as Hasil spoke "Anything or anybody worrying you?"

Hasil responded gravely and without hesitation "Big Foster."

* * *

 

Matt Myers was nervous. Bill Johnson was supposed to call him by noon with his ETA. His phone was going straight to voicemail.

He was still doing his job, but he wasn't sure how much longer he would have a job. Don Fushee wasn't returning his calls. He did however have his secretary call and let Matt know to expect him tomorrow and to leave his evening free.

His credibility with the Feds was shot. He had provided the intel that bought the ATF here and thanks to Gordon screwing him, he looked like a complete fool. ATF left town, but not before putting a bad taste in the mouth of of the FEMA team about him.

"You need a win" He said out loud to himself. Then stopped and shook his head, the last time he'd said those words it was to Wade Houghton. Wade who was having side bars and private meetings with the FEMA agent in charge, who changed the locks on the evidence room door and mounted a camera outside, who he felt certain suspected him of murder. How the hell did he get the upper hand? On me?

I should just disappear, he thought. Take a boat out to the Caymans and lay low.

No, I at least need to hear what Don has to say. If I still have his backing, I can salvage this thing.

In the meantime, he needed to get some back up – Arnie's toads were still watching him. He reached for his phone, come on Bill…..pick up!

* * *

 

Hasil, Sally Ann, Ledda, and Joyce gathered with the ACLU team in the war room. Wade was on speaker phone. Dru and Arlene were reviewing what they'd learned so a course of action could be agreed upon.

Arlene started off by thanking everyone for there hard work "We have more than enough to get the DOJ to open an inquiry. The eventual hope is convening a Grand Jury. There is hard evidence of collusion and subornation between state officials and One Planet in granting of the mining rights for Shay Mountain. This puts One Planet's claim on the mountain in jeopardy."

"In non-lawyer speak" Dru continued "They bribed certain people to get the rights. When it wasn't as easy as they thought to get the Clans off the mountain, they bribed the Lt. Governor to get Matt Meyers hired. And it wasn't just the campaign donation, there is evidence of other compensation changing hands."

"We've been able to draw parallels between the poisoning of the soil and water here and the West Virginia incident Haylie Grimes referenced." Ellis added "That poisoning caused the murder of Silas Shay and when Haylie threatened to expose them she was murdered too. Our Louisville team is trying to track down the plane and DOJ should be able to get a warrant for the suspected manufacturing plant in Mexico. There is still evidence to gather on this part "

"With the bribery, we believe we can eventually get the mining rights revoked. That will re-open the window for the Clans to stake a legal claim on the land they have been living on and working, as well free and clear access to it." Arlene explained "We also believe we can hold One Planet financially liable for to repair the damage or compensate the Clans for the damage done by dropping the poison."

"Additionally, due to the government misconduct we believe we can get Foster Farrell VIII cleared of charges. In reviewing the video of the incident that led to the other inmates death, it was clearly self defense." Ellis said "And based on the fact that he was railroaded into jail in the first place, we will work to get him Pardoned for the escape."

Hasil had been quietly taking all this in, with Sally Ann occasionally whispering to him "We ain't got no means to pay…."

Dru interrupted "This is what the ACLU does, we help people who have been taken advantage of by the government or big cooperations. We're paid through donations, none of this will cost your family any money. But there is something we will need from them."

"What's that?" Hasil asked

"We'll need to come to go up the mountain, we need there story. Mining brings in jobs and money. We have to apply an enormous amount of pressure on the federal and state governments to get an outcome that is favorable to your family. " Dru replied "And we need Foster Farrell the VI"

It was Wade's turn to weigh in "He murdered Ledda's husband and 3 other people, you don't want people associating him with your family. He needs to answer for what he done"

Everyone turned to look a Joyce, who was visibly upset by Wade's statement.

"You okay Joyce?" Dru asked

Joyce nodded, her voice strained as she said "Yes, please go on". Ledda reached out to hold her hand.

"Your family needs to distance itself from him and his actions. Having a murderer among you will hurt the clan and make this difficult task that much harder." Dru explained, looking as Hasil

"I don't know if the Bren'in will give him up, and even if she does – he ain't goin without a fight." Hasil promised

"Your people can't protect him and come out of this with your land. He murdered 4 people." Dru reminded

Hasil sighed "Make that 5, he killed the Bren'in before him – Lady Ray Farrell, his Ma."

Joyce let out a sob and rushed from the room. For a moment, everyone sat stunned. Sally Ann and Ledda followed her to the kitchen.

Ellis was the first to speak "We have everything we need to make a legal case, but we need to be able to counter the power of money and jobs by having your clan on the moral high ground. You can't be on the moral high ground with a murderer as one of your leaders."

"When Meyers is out of the way, I will get an arrest warrant and I am coming for him." Wade added "Those last 3 he killed wasn't worth shit, but Breece was a good man. Ledda deserves justice, and so do her girls."

Hasil closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He opened his eyes and exhaled, nodding "I don't know what's going on up there right now. I know he's at odds with the Bren'in, she might be moved to banish him if it'll bring peace and give us a claim on the land. I ain't sure I can make the argument on my own, I'd need the council with me."

Joyce walked back in, Sally Ann was holding her hand.

"You won't be on your own Hasil. I am a Farrell and I need to help." Joyce declared

The room stared quietly for a moment until Hasil broke the silence. "Ma'am? Who are you?"

"I'm Foster Farrell the VII." Joyce replied.


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! I was so excited to finally reveal Joyce's "secret" identity. While the series was on, I always wondered who VII was so when I started the story I knew I would try to solve that mystery. I always thought it was Asa, and Big Foster just skipped VII when he named Lil Foster as a backward way of acknowledging he had another son. But since they killed off my alternative Boo and I did'nt want to give Big Foster that much credit, I made my own VII! Hope you are enjoying reading as much as I am enjoying writing!

Chapter 20

 

"I'm Foster Farrell the VII." Joyce Replied "Foster Farrell the V and Ray Farrell were my parents, and Foster Farrell the VI is my older brother."

Hasil was stunned "Lady Ray would speak of her lost child, but like she died"

"To her, I did. She told me as much…". Joyce stopped and closed her eyes, gathering her thoughts. She opened them and sighed, walking over to take her seat she said "Let me start at the beginning. My Fa was a bit of a character and he was determined that there would be another Foster Farrell as Bren'in to follow him. So he promised to name every child my Ma gave him Foster Farrell. My brother was first born, he was named the VI, and I was born 4 summers later and I was named the VII. Foster Joyce Farrell VII. Everybody called me Joy. Joyce was for my Morai, my fathers Ma."

Hasil smiled "I remember Aintin Joyce, she always had sweets for us kids."

"Morai was a beautiful soul, so loving and kind." Joyce said fondly "She was special, she seemed to know I was destined to leave the mountain before I did."

"How old were you when you left?" Sally Ann asked

"Almost 18. I met my husband when we were both 14, Fa traded with his folks and where Fa went I wasn't far behind. Farrell Wine, Coffee, and tobacco for seed and fuel mostly, occasionally crops if our harvest was lacking. Billy was a book worm, very thoughtful and kind. He taught me to read, and once I learned how to read I couldn't stop. We used to sneak off and meet, and we had a few places where we would leave each other notes and exchange books. Ma found out a few months before I left and she made me to stop seeing him. Said he was a demon sent to lead me astray, and if I ever left I would be dead to her and all the clan. I didn't see Billy for 3 months after that. I was miserable, cried every day."

She paused for a moment, and Sally Ann offered her hand. Joyce accepted her support and continued "Fa made me go with him early one morning, said we were going to look for rabbits. Said I could mope and rabbit hunt at the same time, so he wasn't putting me out. After a while I knew something was going on because we were too far out to be looking for rabbits. We came out of the trees at Hidden Glenn, and there was Billy." Joyce put her hand over her heart and stopped, remembering the emotional moment. "Fa said he was going to get rabbits and he'd be back for me just after high noon, then he turned around and left."

She put her head down and took an long breath before continuing. "When we got back that day, Morai sent for me and gave me a woven St. Brigid's Cross. She told me not to forget where I come from, to learn to fight the evil doers amongst the low landers, and that the clan would need me some day. Fa and Morai helped me see Billy 3 or 4 times after that, and we kept it from Ma. On his 18th birthday, Billy asked me to marry him under a tree in Hidden Glenn. He was leaving for the Air Force in 2 weeks and he wanted me to come with him. Fa and Morai gave me there blessing, but we still didn't tell Ma. The only other family I said goodbye to were my brother and my cousin Emelye. I left Ma a note, even though I knew she couldn't read it – I needed to say goodbye. Ma sent Fa down to after me, but he just talked with Papa Nate and came back empty handed. For awhile, about once a year or so Papa Nate would send word from Fa with the latest news from the mountain. Papa Nate would read my letters to Fa and write letters for him to me. He'd try to keep his letters lively and fun, but Papa Nate told me Ma figured out what happened and never forgave them. One year, he never came and I knew he was gone."

Joyce looked up when she stopped speaking to find all eyes on her.

Hasil spoke in old tongue " _Ta' a fhios agat ar an tuar?" (You know of the prophecy?)_

Joyce nodded " _Ta'" (Yes)_

There eyes met, Hasil searching her soul. " _Ta' tu' an ceann ar ais" (You are the returned one_ ) He said with confidence.

Joyce shook her head " _Nil a fhios agam leanbh, ach beidh me' cosaint mo chinn " (I don't know child, but I will protect my clan.)_

Joyce turned to Dru "When do we leave for Shay Mountain?"

* * *

 

Lil Foster watched G'win as she worked on her cures. Her stock had run low with all the troubles they'd endured. They both felt relaxed, knowing for sure the guns were out of his Fa's reach. Lil Foster had personally seen to that. He smiled at Ray, asleep in his arms. Her naming ceremony is day after tomorrow, after that he would take The Oak and his place as Bren'in. He intended to spend as much time as he could at peace the next two days, and this little girl would have a lot to do with that.

"You're gonna spoil her" G'win admonished softly, smiling at the two of them

"I sure am" Lil Foster replied, looking up a G'win "Good thing she has a strong Ma to keep her on the right path"

They were interrupted by a knock on the door. G'win turned toward the door, but Lil Foster grabbed her wrist and stopped her, shaking his head. She reached down and took Ray from his arms. As he moved toward the door, he knew it was his Fa. He opened the door and stepped out on the porch.

"Evenin Fa" He said

"Evening Son." Big Foster replied " Ain't you gonna invite me in?"

He and G'win had not seen each other since the council when she called for his banishment, Lil Foster was uneasy about letting him near her. "The baby's sleeping right now."

"I'd like to meet my grandchild, I won't disturb her" Big Foster said sincerely. Seeing Lil Foster's hesitation, he added "I won't bother G'winveer neither."

Lil Foster nodded and turned, he stepped inside and Big Foster followed.

G'win stood back, holding Ray who was beginning to stir. Big Foster stopped suddenly just inside the door, staring at G'win. He closed his eyes and shook his head as he reached out and gripped the threshold.

"Fa? You okay?" Lil Foster asked, placing himself between him and his girls

Big Foster opened his eyes "I'm alright son" turning his eyes to G'win "Hello G'winveer" he said, bowing to greet her as Bren'in.

"Foster" G'win said tersely, nodding. Taking a deep breath, she stepped forward and handed Ray to Lil Foster.

Taking the baby, Lil Foster turned to his father "This is Ray Brigid Farrell"

Big Foster came forward and gazed down at her "She is a beauty" he whispered. Ray's eyes were open and locked on Big Foster. He could feel his stomach turning again, what the hell is wrong? "Ray is for your Morai, where'd you get Brigid?"

"After St. Brigid, Emelye gifted us St. Brigid's cross – we thought it was a fitting name." Lil Foster explained

"St. Brigid was a healer and protector, her cross is used to protect against evil spirits." G'win reminded him "You're standing under it right now."

Big Foster turned and looked up and his stomach lurched. What the hell is going on? Turning back to look at G'win, he took a step back. "I'll let ya'll continue your evenin, see you at the naming ceremony" Big Foster said and quickly walked out.

G'win and Lil Foster looked at each other, and then at St. Brigid's Cross

Turning to G'win, he asked "You don't think?" She tilted her head and shrugged her shoulders

Lil Foster shook his head "He done some real bad things G'win, but he ain't evil"

Hearing the pain in his voice, G'win said softly "Not all the time, there's a war going on inside him and he ain't always in control. Whoever or whatever he is warring with don't have regard for anybody and can't be reasoned with. You've seen it yourself"

Lil Foster looked down at his daughter and felt his chest start to ache. Looking back up, he whispered "Lord G'win, I can't do this on my own."

She quickly closed the distance between them and reached up to embrace him. "You don't have to, we're a family. Me and the elders are with you, and so is most of the clan. We will survive this, and we will have peace again. I can feel it."

* * *

 

Now that is was agreed that there would be a trip up the mountain, logistics had to be worked out. They already had a news crew who agreed to do the story, and the Louisville team standing by to help.

"There is nothing more we can do on this tonight" Dru told the group "We can start working out logistics first thing tomorrow. "

It's been a long day for everybody, why don't we adjourn to the back porch?" Ellis suggested "I want to try some of Ledda's Peach Coobler"

"What I want to try is the Peach Sangria that Ellis made!" Ledda said with a smile

Everyone stood to head outside, with Teddy and Erica bringing laptops so they could continue to monitor the cameras.

Dru stopped Kat with a touch on her arm "Hold on a sec" he requested. Once everyone had left the room he pulled her into a hug and whispered in her ear "Happy Birthday Sweetheart"

She smiled "Thank you Baby" Kissing him on the cheek, she added "Kentucky…Paris…what's the difference?"

"I'll make it up to you, I promise" Dru said with a smile

"Oh, I know you will!" Kat exclaimed "I rebooked us for 3 days after Christmas, we will be spending New Year's Eve on The Champs Elysees."

"Deal" he agreed, leaning close to kiss her "Come on, lets get out there before Claire drinks all the Sangria"

Placing his hand on the small of her back, he guided her toward the door. As Kat stepped out onto the patio – she was greeting by balloons, cupcakes, a deck lit with red paper lanterns – her favorite color, and a chorus of "SURPRISE!"

Shocked she stared for a moment, then with tears in her eyes turned to Dru and punched him in the arm "This does not get you out of Paris!"

Dru put his arm around her shoulder, pulled her close, and joined everyone in singing happy birthday.

Claire approached with a cupcake lit by a single candle "Happy Birthday Sis! Ellis made your favorite Red Velvet cupcakes."

Kat blew out the candle to the cheers from the group. "Thank you everybody. Now come on, I hate to be fussed over – so let eat desserts and drink a little sangria."

Dru turned to Teddy "DJ, lets get this party started!" Teddy obliged and soon the smooth sounds of Maxwell filled the air.

Sally Ann and Hasil were visiting with Ledda when he noticed Joyce had moved to the end of the porch and was sitting on the swing watching the group.

"Ma'am" Hasil said as he approached "Mind if I join you?"

Joyce shook her head, "Not at all"

"You alright?" Asked Hasil as he sat next to her

"Right this moment, no. But I will be, we Farrell's don't stay down for long." She reminded him "40 years is a long time to keep something to yourself, it was good to get it out." Blinking back tears, she continued "It just breaks my heart to hear my Ma died by my brothers hand."

"I'm sorry." Hasil tried to console her " Lady Ray was tough, but she was always good to me. She was a good Bren'in to our clan."

"Do you know when my Fa…" Joyce asked hesitantly

Hasil shook his head "No ma'am. I'm 22 summers and Lady Ray was the only Bren'in I knew till her passing. Your Fa passed The Oak to her when he was still living. The say he didn't think Big Foster was fit." Hasil took a deep breath "I do recall Aintin Joyce coming to school when I first started learning Old Tongue, she would always bring treats for the kids. I think she took pity on me because my folks were gone, she always let me sit next to her and always gave me a big hug before she left. She came a couple times a week my first year, but didn't come back after harvest break."

Joyce smiled "That sounds like her, she always said everybody deserves to feel loved"

Sally Ann joined them and sitting across from Joyce.

"Who were your folks?" Joyce asked

"Declan Farrell and …."Hasil started

"Siobhan Shay." Joyce finished

Hasil looked shocked "How'd you know?"

"Wasn't nobody else in the world for Declan Farrell. They were maybe 5 or 6 summers old when I left, but that was clear even then." Joyce said "What happened to them?"

"My Ma passed bringing birth to me, and the grieving took my Fa. He was gone the next day, don't know if he fell or jumped off a cliff near Shay Peak." Hasil said quietly "Folks don't talk about em much, but they say he loved her something powerful"

"Hasil, I'm so sorry" Joyce said "They were young when I left, but I remember both of them – I used to teach Old Tongue at the school. Did you know there were born one day apart? Your Ma first then your Fa the next day. There Ma's were best friends and your folks were inseparable from birth. Lived right across from each other. From about the time he was 3 or so, your Fa would sit on your Ma's front porch waiting for her to come out. Smartest child I ever worked with, there wasn't anything he couldn't pick up and 3 times as fast as the rest. He was a quiet old soul, the only thing in the world that could get him riled was Siobhan. First day of school, we always ask the kids what they want to do when they're grown. I still recall his answer - He said marry Siobhan."

"Your Ma was a tiny little thing, smart as a whip and full of fire. Fierce! That may seem like an odd way to describe a child, but she was ….and determined." Joyce recalled fondly "If she set her mind to something she wouldn't stop."

"You know the knot tree at Shay Holler?" She asked. Hasil nodded and Joyce continued. "All the other kids her age could climb that tree, but Siobhan was too small. She would get to a point and just couldn't reach the next knot. She tried every side of the tree, but couldn't get there. Your Fa was right there coaching and trying to help. He even offered to climb up and then pull her up. She told him in no uncertain terms she didn't want to be pulled up, she wanted to climb up herself."

Joyce had a far away look in her eyes as she recalled her days on the mountain, and Hasil sat enraptured. Grateful for any bit of knowledge about his lost parents.

"So the next day when we took morning break, Dec pulled a leather strap out of his pocket with a loop on one end. He tied it to Siobhan's wrist, and had her practice casting it like a fishing line. When she got to that spot she couldn't reach, she cast that strap and after 3 tries hooked the knot. Your Fa was standing below her, yelling out directions and pacing." Joyce explained with a smile " Siobhan yelled down and told him to hush up so she could think. Then she gripped that strap and was able to pull herself up enough to reach the next foothold and grab the hand hold she hooked with the strap. She made it higher up the tree than any other kid in the class that day. When she got back to the bottom, she and your Fa were jumping and hollering like it was Christmas morning."

She patted Hasil on the knee "They were special, I can tell you got the best of each of them."

Sally Ann locked eyes with Hasil, silently asking if he was alright. He nodded, not trusting himself to speak. He just learned more about his parents in 5 minutes than he'd known his whole life.

"I'm calling it an early night." Joyce said standing "You kids try to relax, you certainly deserve a break."

As Joyce walked away, Sally Ann joined Hasil on the swing. She put her arm around him and leaned forward to rest her Head on his shoulder. Hasil placed his hand on her thigh and took a deep break.

"You okay Babe?" She asked

"Yeah, I'm good. I didn't know to much about my folks growing up, it was nice to hear somebody speak kindly of em." Hasil gave her thigh a light tap "C'mon now, lets enjoy this good company! You gonna fuss at me if I have a little of that cobbler?"

"No fussing, you can have anything you want tonight" Sally Ann said with a smile

"That so?" Hasil said – leaning in for a kiss "Imma hold you to that."

* * *

 

Ledda, Ellis, Arlene, Sally Ann, and Hasil were picking up on the back porch. Claire and the team had gone inside to get ready to secure the house for the evening. Dru and Kat were sitting on a bench out by Joyce's Coy Pond.

Suddenly Ledda gasped and grabbed Sally Ann's arm. Everyone stopped, and she whispered "Look!" Dru was on one knee in front of Kat.

Suddenly Claire was standing on the porch with them. "I saw it on camera….." she explained when they all looked at her. Teddy and Erica were just behind her

They could see her nodding yes, Dru slid the ring on her finger and they stood and embraced.

Ellis started clapping and everyone joined in and cheered the newly engaged couple, with Teddy letting out a whistle and Claire yelling "About damn time!"

They turned to look at there audience and laughed, joining hands and heading toward the group. Claire rushed out to hug Kat. They held each other for a long time, talking quietly while Dru accepted congratulations from the group.

* * *

 

Late that evening, Hasil sat on the love seat in there room watching Sally Ann sleep. Initially, he had been out at soon as his head hit the pillow. He didn't even recall Sally Ann coming in after her shower. But he couldn't stay asleep, his mind just wouldn't be still. The coming trip up the mountain was weighing on him heavy. He had no idea what had happened since he'd been gone. If he wasn't banished already, prying Big Foster loose would be tough. But they had to try, he didn't want to see anymore of his cousins die. They needed lasting peace on the mountain. He thought about his folks and Joyce and him and Sally Ann. All the things sacrificed for love. For him it was worth it, but that didn't mean it wasn't hard some days. He hoped the changes coming would make things easier. He knew Sally Ann couldn't live up on the mountain, but he wanted her to feel welcome there and he wanted his children to know where he grew up.

Sally Ann stirred and opened her eyes when she didn't feel Hasil behind her. "Babe?" She said softly

"I'm here Darlin" Hasil said

"It's 1:30 in the morning, what are you doing up?" She asked, getting up and walking over to him

"Couldn't sleep, my mind won't shut off" He said, taking her hand as she sat on his lap facing him

"Worried about going back up the mountain?" She asked

"Yeah" He said with a sigh "I'd almost rather get shot again"

"That's not funny Hasil" Sally Ann admonished

"I'm sorry, I know." He apologized "Just a lot on my mind. Thinking about my folks and Ms. Joyce too."

"When this is all over things will be better for everyone. All this can't be for nothing. The big sacrifices – all the people who died – your cousins , Ms. Grimes, Ledda's husband." Sally Ann continued, trying to lighten the mood "The little ones like Erica missing the Walking Dead and Kat getting engaged in Kentucky instead of Paris" she said with a smile.

Hasil raised his hand to her face "You ever think about us getting married?" He asked

She nodded "I have"

"And?" He asked

Taking a deep breath, she met his eyes and answered honestly "I'd like to be your wife, but I don't want to be your widow. The prison break and your cousin getting shot, whatever happened that got you shot." Her eyes filled with tears "The fighting I don't worry about, but I worry every time you go up that mountain – you won't be back. Not because you don't want to come back, but because something stopped you from coming back."

Hasil pulled her close and held her for a moment before answering. Pulling back he searched for her eyes. Sally Ann was still crying, and she turned her face away from Hasil.

"Aye…..look at me…..I'm sorry" He said, cupping her face and kissing her forehead "I know I been foolhardy , but I'm done with that. After what I seen up there, I know we can't win this fight. Peace is the only way my kin will survive this, so like Dru said – we got to fight smart. I got to much to live for, and I almost gave it up. I ain't gonna do that again. I promise. Alright?"

Sally Ann nodded, letting out the breath she hadn't realized she was holding as she tried to smile.

"C'mere" Hasil pulled her in for a long slow kiss.

Sally Ann threw her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss. Hasil's hands slid up her thighs and stopped at her backside, grabbing her and pulling her closer to him.

Breaking the kiss, Hasil immediately brought his lips to her neck and slowly worked his way up to her ear whispering "You recall telling me I could have anything I want tonight?"

"Ummmm hmmmm" she answered "I do recall saying just that. You know what you want?" She was straddling him and they were chest to chest, she could feel him – she knew exactly what he wanted but she loved to hear him say it.

"Lets move over to the bed and I'll show you" Hasil making his way back to her lips for another kiss

"We're staying right here. You have to take it easy, so you just sit right here," Sally Ann said, taking off her shirt and then leaning in for another kiss "and let me do all the work."


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Hasil pulled Sally Ann close and buried his face in her hair. He could smell that shampoo she loved, Mirabelle Plum. He smiled thinking about the argument in the store, "Eight dollar shampoo is not in the budget." He'd talked her into getting it cause he knew she loved it, but he didn't realize how much he loved it until this last trip up the mountain. Even though he was dead tired, he couldn't sleep. Then a slight breeze passed and he caught the scent of the flowers from the fringe tree outside. He knew then he missed not just the feel of her, but the smell of her. He did miss the mountain, but he knew it wasn't home anymore. Sally Ann was his home.

As she started to stir, Hasil cradled her belly and kissed her neck. She moaned in that way that made his mind go blank and pressed her naked body back into his.

"Good morning Darlin" He whispered

He could hear the smile in her voice as responded "Good morning Babe. You sleep okay?"

"I slept real good thanks to you. Last night was almost worth getting shot." He chuckled

Sally Ann laughed and reached back to touch Hasil's face "I missed you. Promise to not get shot again and I promise to make you sit still while I have my way with you more often. Deal?"

"Deal!" Hasil said "We should get up for breakfast, I could eat a…."

He felt a flutter under his hand, Hasil stopped speaking and Sally Ann gasped.

"Was that lil man?" Hasil whispered in awe, moving his hand around her belly

"I think so" Sally Ann said, and as she started to speak again they felt a definite kick.

"Alright, that's my boy! There was some power behind that one!" Hasil exclaimed

Sally Ann shook her head and laughed, turning to face Hasil she put her arms around his neck "Lets save the boxing lessons until after he's born, I don't want him practicing on me!"

Hasil pulled her in for a kiss "I love you. Thank you for sticking with me, I know all this ain't easy."

Sally Ann laid her her on his chest "I love you too. As long as I have you, its all worth it."

"He'll be here before we know it. Have you thought about a name for him?" Hasil asked

"I hadn't before last night, but I do think I have one I like now" She said "That is if you like it too"

"You get to to name him" he said kissing her forehead "You're doing all the hard work. What is it?"

"Declan Lewis Farrell" She said.

Hasil was speechless. He pulled her tight and held her as close as he could. Finally he said, "Thank you Darlin. I think nobody would talk about my Fa cause of how he died, like there was some shame to it. There ain't no shame in love, and I'm proud to have our first born named for him."

"Me too" Sally Ann replied. They held each other quietly for a long time, Sally Ann finally broke the silence "Babe?"

"Hmmm?" Hasil answered, he was on the verge of falling asleep

"Can we get up now? I'm starving and I really need to pee." Sally Ann pleaded

Hasil laughed and pulled her in for one last kiss before smacking her backside "C'mon, lets get you and Declan fed!"

* * *

 

G'win and Lil Foster were out back picking vegetables from the garden. Ray was resting on the porch in her cradle.

From the tree line, G'win heard someone whisper/shout "Bren'in!" She turned to see Phil'up looking at Lil Foster, trying to get his attention. "Bren'in!"

G'win shook her head "Foster" She said, gesturing with her head toward Phil'up as he looked up. Turning toward the house, she called for Annalivia. When she appeared at the door, G'win said "Can you look after Ray for a bit? We're gonna take these vegetables down to Emelye"

Annalivia nodded and scooped up Ray to bring her inside.

G'win and Foster picked up the baskets they'd filled and started toward the tree's where Phil'up was waiting.

"What's going on?" Lil Foster asked

"It's Big Foster, he thinks we need to check and see what the low landers are up to since we blew that dam. He wants to make sure the drop's clear and that they ain't fixin to blow it up, then maybe check some of the coal company buildings to see if they got more people or machines."

G'win said "What is he thinking?! We don't need to go poking that bear!"

"Yes'm, I got him talked into running it by the council. I'm supposed to be going to ask for a meeting. But he seems bound and determined" Phil'up said "I ain't gonna watch another of my cousins die"

"It'll be alright cousin" Lil Foster promised "Just go ahead and gather the council members. Start with Krake and Willem, we'll run into ya'll at Emelye's"

As Lil Foster and G'win continued toward Emelye's place, both of them thought about his visit last night and worried which Big Foster was going down this path.

Looking at G'win, Lil Foster could see the worry in her eyes and assured her "Don't fret, we won't let him do no more harm."

G'win nodded and said "We can't, he will be the ruin of us Foster. Whatever it takes, we can't let him put this clan in jeopardy again."

* * *

 

Forty years in the coal business and Don Fushee had never seen a shit storm the likes of this. Looking around as he drove through Blackburg, he couldn't believe the amount of law here. The got damn National Guard, completely out of control! He operated in the shadows for a reason, they couldn't afford this kind of scrutiny.

Picking up his phone, he dialed Wilkes "I just rolled into town. What a got damn mess! You got eyes on Meyers?"

"Yes sir, he arrived at the office at 0700." Wilkes responded "Hasn't left all morning. You want me to grab him?"

"No" Don responded "Meet me at the executive housing. I want a full situation report before I see him. The Lt. Governor will be heading this way now that the Governors gone. We need to get this shit locked down before he gets here tomorrow."

* * *

 

By the time Sally Ann and Hasil made it downstairs, the ACLU team had been up for hours. Dru already had the Louisville team working on leasing 4 seater ATV's, acquiring Satellite phones, and securing non-lethal force tools (pepper spray, tasers, and rubber bullets) for the journey up the mountain. After breakfast, Sally Ann jumped into helping Kat with the database. Wade had suggested going up via the same route the Farrell's used when they came down for Lil Foster, but they needed Hasil's expert opinion. Using google earth, they plotted a route up the mountain and a 2 different routes back down. The big unknown was still what they were walking into when they arrived.

"When we left that night, folks were scared and divided like I'd never seen before." Hasil explained "I don't know what we're gonna find up there."

"Well, we can plan based on what you think are the most likely situations and come up with some contingencies" Dru said "What do you think are the two most likely situations?'

"Well one is G'win's still the Bren'in and Big Foster is still pushing and bent on trying to bring the fight down here." Hasil speculated "With so many of us not coming back, folks might see his way is harder and bloodier – so it won't be easy to stir folks against her. But he ain't a patient person, so he's likely to do something without her blessing."

"Do you think we'd be in danger from him?" Dru asked

"I don't think he would risk bringing harm to such a big group." Hasil answered. "I'm sure they think I'm either dead or in jail. Me being with ya'll, after they seen what happened to me, I think you'd be owed some grace. Especially since Ms. Joyce has us hauling up supplies with us."

Dru nodded "As far as we can tell, there hasn't been any activity reported from the mountain since the Dam burst. Do you think that's the most likely possibility?"

"I ain't sure. He wants that Oak back, he wants to be Bren'in again. He'd be bold enough the challenge her right to it. But ain't no way G'win is gonna give it to him, she knows what that would mean for the clan. If she had to pass it, she'd try give it to Lil Foster. A council would have to be called to sort through who should rightfully have claim. It can't see it being Big cause he killed Lady Ray, but I don't know that Lil Foster would want it."

Joyce was listening and commented "One of the way the clans survived all these years is that no Farrell had ever killed another. The Oath of Clan Bren'in states – If The Oak is taken in a manner impure, the Bren'in will not endure. Does everybody know he killed Ma?"

Hasil nodded "Yeah, he confessed at circle"

Joyce closed her eyes and took a deep breath "Then council won't give him The Oak, there is nothing more impure than murdering another Farrell. Who is Lil Foster's Ma?" She asked Hasil

"Fiona Farrell" Hasil answered "She passed on awhile ago. Big Foster was married to G'win, but she released him as I understand."

"Fiona was a good person, hopefully she instilled that in her son despite my brother. What do you think of him?" She asked Hasil

"He's a good person, smart, brave, and he loves the mountain and our family." Hasil responded

Joyce nodded "Good, then he'll do his duty."

Sally Ann joined the group, sitting next to Hasil. He reached for her hand and gave her a quick smile. "I think one of those two are most likely. But really anything could have happened. I mean ya'll know they didn't get picked up by the law, but that don't mean they made it home."

"You're right, but we need to have some kind of plan and this helps. With this many unknowns, the whole security team is going up and Ellis is coming to lend an extra hand." Dru explained "Louisville doesn't have a lot of help to spare, so our bench isn't very deep. Two of them will escort the equipment and the news team to our rendezvous point. They are also bringing the supplies Joyce is providing. Then one of them will guard the vehicles and the other will escort anyone not going up to a safe location until we come down. Joyce and Ledda are coming up, and Kat and Arlene will go to the safe house. Is Sally Ann coming up the mountain?"

Hasil and Sally Ann answered at the same time.

Hasil shook his head "No"

Sally Ann nodded "Yes"

Both were visibly annoyed with the others response as they turned to lock eyes.

"Why don't you two discuss it and let me know. There is plenty of room either way." Dru said

* * *

 

Wade was doing his part for the mission, and he was really enjoying it. He and Dru believed that Meyers was on the outs with his bosses and on edge. Wade was tasked him with keeping him off balance.

For the 4th time this morning, he knocked on Meyers office door then opened it without waiting for a response.

"Hey Buddy!" He greeted "We got some donuts out here. The ones with the sprinkles are going fast, you should come on out and grab a couple!"

It was all Wade could do to not laugh out loud as he looked at Meyers, his eyes were closed and he was pinching the bridge of his nose. "I don't want any donuts Wade. I just want to be left alone. It appears you don't have any work to do, since you keep popping in here – but I do!" Matt said through is teeth.

Wade walked over and plopped noisily into the chair across from Matt's desk

"You reviewing the draft of the FEMA report?" Wade asked

Matt looked surprised "What draft?" He said

"Ohhhh" Wade said "Maybe I wasn't supposed to say nothing. Disregard!" He popped up and clapped his hands. "I was never here."

"Wait!" Meyers said as Wade headed for the door "Come on Wade, did you get a draft report?"

"Look Buddy" Wade said sympathetically "I know you need a win. But it's just a draft, I'm sure when the full report is issued you'll get a copy. I mean, they release it to the general public at that point"

Matt stared at Wade, fuming

"See ya later Pal. I'll set aside a couple of them donuts just in case you change your mind" Wade said as he closed the door

* * *

 

At council, Cousin Willem told everyone they already had watchers and runners out at The Drop and the two main roads up the mountain. Everyone but Big Foster agreed that was good enough for now. He stormed out of the meeting, and Lil Foster went after him.

As they disappeared into the trees, he called "Wait up Old Man!"

Big Foster turned, striding back toward his son "You think them jackasses Willem sent out are gonna be able to protect anybody?!"

Lil Foster put his hands out "Just hold on! They're meant to be look outs, they can do that."

"Bullshit!" Big Foster shouted "I'm digging up them guns and getting Phil'up some of my boys out there"

Lil Foster grabbed his arm as he started to to walk away. "Gimme 3 days. Let me get through the naming ceremony for the baby and my coronation, then WE start doing things OUR way!"

Big Foster stared at his son "You really mean that?"

"Course I do. I was with you on the dynamite wasn't I? We can't sit back and wait for them to show up, we gotta see what's going on down there and take the fight to them." Lil Foster said sincerely "3 days Fa, that's all I'm asking"

"Alright son, I can wait" Big Foster agreed "3 days."

Lil Foster let go of his arm "Keep Phil'up close in case there's any trouble. I'll handle the council."

Big Foster nodded and turned to walk away.

When Lil Foster returned to the council, he told them "We got 3 days, we need a plan on what to do about him after the coronation. Banishment ain't gonna be enough to stop him.

* * *

 

Hasil followed Sally Ann to Joyce's garden to discuss the trip up the mountain.

"You ain't going" Hasil said when Sally Ann turned to face him

"How is that a discussion?!"Sally Ann demanded

"Ain't a whole lot of ways to say no." Hasil explained

"You do not make decisions for me Hasil Farrell" Sally Ann said, exasperated

"It's too dangerous! You're carrying…." Hasil started, frustrated

"You just told Dru you didn't think he would risk hurting us!" She interrupted

"I can't be sure! It's too risky Sally Ann." Hasil said firmly "You need to go with the others to the safe house. This is my fight, not yours"

Sally Ann stared at him for a moment before answering "You don't have anything that's not mine" She said quietly. She sat down on the bench and held out her hand for him to join her.

Hasil took her hand and sat down "Look, I appreciate …"

"Wait" Sally Ann said "I need to explain what I mean by that, okay?"

Hasil nodded and gave her his attention

"You remember when you came to try talk to James? And then kicked the door in when you heard him coming after me?" She asked

"That ain't the same thing…"Hasil interrupted

"Let me finish, please." She said. "I was scared out of my mind. I just took off, I didn't know where I was going – no phone, no wallet. I heard you calling for me and I hid until I couldn't hear you anymore. Then I went to my friend Naomi's."

"Why didn't you answer? I looked for you for hours…"Hasil said

"I was scared, I wasn't thinking clearly. Naomi wasn't home, but her Mama let me in. She was used to me showing up when James was going off. I broke down and just told her everything; how we met, how you'd walk down the mountain just to walk me home, how you'd bring me flowers, how we were together, how you made me feel, everything." She stopped and took a deep breath " I told her I tried to break up with you, cause James didn't approve but that you showed up to try an talk to him and you let him say horrible things about you without lifting a finger. But when he came after me, you kicked the door in…I didn't understand why. I told her it wasn't your fight. But the look on your face….. you thought it was your fight"

"As far as I was concerned, you were my girl – even then." Hasil said, kissing her hand

"She told me you loved me. I didn't believe her at first. I told her it wasn't your fight. She said this to me, and I'll never forget it. " _He stood there and let your brother read him for filth and didn't raise his voice or his hand until you were in harms way. That boy loves you. He loves you so it was his fight. That boy loves you, so you don't have anything that isn't his – not a fight, not a fear, not a hope, not a dream"_

Hasil raised his hand to her face. "She's right"

"I spent the night there, crying and thinking. I could go back home or I could walk away from the the only family I had for love. The next day we had a girlfriend call to let me know when James showed up to check for work, and then Naomi took me to the house. I grabbed my phone and packed a bag. Then I went to our place to wait for you. I love you and you don't have anything that isn't mine – not a fight, not a fear, not a hope, not a dream."

Hasil pulled her close "You're right, what's mine is yours – trouble included. That wasn't the right way to say it, but we gotta protect our son."

"I think I could help them understand that everyone down here isn't bad. Seeing us together, but knowing you're still loyal to them would be a good thing. Let's at least talk to Dru, I don't think he would have offered it as an option if he didn't feel like he could protect us. Please?" She pleaded. "If its not safe, I don't want to put the baby at risk either. But my place is with you, and if I can go there safely that's where I need to be."

"Alright, lets see what he's got planned. But if we can't agree it can be done safely, you'll go with Arlene and Kat, alright?" Hasil asked

"Yes" Sally Ann promised, tilting her head up to kiss his cheek.

Hasil shook his head "I survived being shot only to have my woman worry me to death! C'mon, lets go talk to Dru"

 


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

"This is a peace mission" said Dru "Anything we can do to demonstrate we aren't there for a fight is good. They know you wouldn't lead any trouble to them, bringing Sally Ann along reinforces that"

"I'm less worried about what folks are thinking than I am about having her and our child in harms way" Hasil explained "How do we protect her if something goes wrong?"

"We have 6 people, including you, to protect and 5 of us to do it. That should be more than adequate." Dru pledged "We'll have Teddy with the 2 news people, Ellis and Claire will be on Joyce and Ledda, and Erica and I will have you and Sally Ann."

"We'll have you draw us a map of the area and work out some escape routes" Claire added "We've done similar missions before, even above sharing the information we need to pass on – the primary mission is to get in and out safely without doing harm."

Hasil turned his head to look at Sally Ann, who was sitting beside him silently. She met his eyes and held them, communicating without words. Finally, he turned back to Dru and nodded "I'm trusting you with my family" he said quietly

"I give you my word" Dru said gravely "They will be safe."

* * *

 

One Planet Executive housing was buzzing with the arrival of Don Fushee. Everyone knew the dam break was bad and knew the fate of the operation in Blackburg could be decided very soon.

Wilkes walked into the lobby and headed directly for the executive office suites. He was shown into a conference room to wait for Don to arrive.

This is sloppy, he thought to himself as he sat down. Too many wild cards, loose ends, and unknowns. I'll recommend One Planet pull back and cut there losses. I don't know how Don will feel about that, but it's the smart play. It wasn't a matter of if – but when – something would blow back on them. The more distance they could create, the less catastrophic the damage would be.

Don walked in and headed straight toward the credenza where the alcohol was prominently displayed. He poured himself a shot of bourbon and quickly downed it. "Damn that's good! Only thing I really like about Kentucky."

Turning to Arnie, he raised the bottle "You partaking?"

"No sir" Arnie responded "I'm good"

Don poured himself another drink and sat down across from Arnie "How bad is it?"

"Hard to say" Arnie said "Its bad, but we don't know how bad because they still can't tell us the extent of the data breach. I strongly suspect all compromised data is in play and the ACLU is involved. Aldrich has contacts with them and had given them stolen data in the past. We haven't been able to track them to Blackburg yet, but whoever took that Farrell kid out of the hospital is a pro. They gave my guys the slip and we haven't picked up a trail."

Don took a deep breath and downed the rest of his bourbon "And I'm guessing that's not all?"

"ACLU knows how to use the press and has high level contacts with the DOJ." He responded "That's scary enough without Meyers imploding on us. He got his hands truly dirty for the first time in the most reckless manner possible and now he is scared stupid. You remember Bill Johnson?"

"Psycho Bill?!" Don exclaimed "Who could forget that nut job"

"Well Meyers called him, hired him to come up here." Arnie said, and held up his hand before Don spoke "I took care of it, he won't be showing up anywhere. But that move would have literally thrown gas on a fire. We need to pull back and start to extract from this before it gets any uglier. "

"Shit!" Don said, pounding his fist of the table. Getting up from the table, he crossed the room and poured another shot of bourbon. Leaning on the credenza, he downed it without saying another word.

"You watch him close" Don ordered "its gonna take me a few days to work through untangling One Planet from Meyers. By the time we get the Lt. Governor out of town, I'll know how we'll handle him."

"Yes sir" Arnie said, standing to leave. Lets hope that's not too late, he thought to himself.

* * *

 

As Wade prepared for his next encounter with Matt Meyers, he hoped it was the right move. With Dru and the team headed up the mountain early tomorrow – his only back up was a couple of trusted deputies. He hesitated to get them involved, but he needed to remember that Meyers was dangerous and would be unpredictable when cornered.

When Wade saw Meyers headed to the men's room, he put his phone on silent and set an alarm to go off in two minutes using an alert that sounded like his ring tone. He waited outside until the alarm went off then silenced it while pretending to answer a call.

He pushed open the restroom door "Houghton here. Good afternoon sir."

Moving back into the hallway without entering, Wade continued his one way conversation. He could hear Meyers moving toward the door. "I'll have the rest of that footage to you by noon tomorrow, I believe that'll give you what you need to file for an indictment. " Wade paused for a moment, then continued. "I'm ready to nail this bastard to the wall, anything else you need just let me know." Wade paused again then chuckled "Damn right! You take care sir, talk to you tomorrow."

Wade turned to open the door to the restroom and found Matt at the sink washing his hands. They made eye contact in the mirror as Wade walked behind him and both nodded in acknowledgment. Matt quickly exited the restroom. Wade took him time and as he made his way back to his office, he noticed that all the blinds were now closed in Matt's office.

A text came through from Deputy Fults as Wade entered his own office " _he practically ran back to his office, slammed the door, and then started closing all the blinds. Whatever you said sure spooked him"_

Wade smiled and closed his office door

* * *

 

Matt Meyers needed to make some calls, but he couldn't get his hands to stop shaking. He reached into into his desk drawer for his flask and took a long hit. Closing his eyes, he tried to order his thoughts to figure out his next move.

* * *

 

Arlene was startled by the ringing burner phone that arrived with Tim's package to her office, and her heart skipped a beat. Unknown Caller.

"Hello" She answered

"Lena" responded that voice

"Tim" She breathed

"Can't talk long, they're looking for you. This phone could be hot. Turn it off right after we hang up. Check this email address. Our favorite pizza place and your birthday ."

Then the line was dead. "Asshole" She muttered as she powered off the phone

"Tim?" Ellis asked

"Yeah, he gave me an email address to check." Arlene replied

Turning back to her laptop, she went to Google to access gmail. Following his directions, she entered Quatros0917 . Same password as always…loveU69. She smiled a little while entering the password, sighing and shaking her head.

There was a single email in the inbox

" _Arnie Wilkes is a security consultant for One Planet. He's in Blackburg, he's the one that grabbed me and took me to Meyers. His brothers name is Wes Wilkes, he also works for One Planet as VP of Procurement and Logistics. They both send emails to an address that belongs to Wes and all of them have the same text "HS"with an encrypted attachment – I think it means hidden server. All the files get downloaded to a specific and well encrypted location. I can't get any further without tripping an alarm. I think its an insurance policy. If One Planet goes down, they don't plan to go with them. Attachment lists the dates of all the emails and IP address of HS. They know you're a contact of mine and they are trying to track your location. Keep your head down and be safe._

_Thanks again for doing this….miss you….."_

Arlene looked up at Dru who had appeared to read the email over her shoulder. "This could be huge."

"Yes, if it is truly an insurance policy I bet it contains every missing piece of this puzzle". Dru agreed. Turning to Claire he instructed "Lets put together a quick dossier on the other Wilkes brother."

"Do you think they know we're here?" She asked

"We've done a good job of laying low. They probably have an idea that the ACLU is involved, but we've seen nothing to indicate they know our location."Dru replied. "We'll stay under the radar as long as we can."

"Well I'm sick of hiding while these bastards walk around free." Arlene declared "I'll work my DOJ contacts while you're up on the mountain. I'm ready for the legal version of blowing some shit up."

* * *

 

Dru joined Hasil, Teddy, and Erica outside. They were using google earth images to make maps and plan routes up and down the mountain.

"They'll likely be spotters and runners when we get to up around here" Hasil explained, pointing to the screen on Erica's laptop. "I should be up front, it'll help if they see a friendly face."

"Talked to Louisville, they got us 3 vehicles with small truck beds and 1 small trailer." Dru shared "They're open, no roof, so they should be able to spot you in the lead vehicle."

Sally Ann walked out with a plate of brownies. "An assortment of brownies, compliments of Ledda!" She exclaimed, sitting them on the table. She plucked one off the top to hand it to Hasil "This one has marshmallows in it"

Hasil accepted the brownie and took a bite "Mmmmm…Ain't that fine. Thank you Darlin!"

Sitting next to Hasil, Sally Ann said "Ledda made them, I'm just the delivery girl. How are ya'll doing out here?"

"Erica here taught me all about google and satellites. We got maps for getting up and down the mountain" Hasil explained

"Top secret maps that Hasil insists we burn after using" Erica said "THE most intense pinky swear ever!"

Sally Ann smiled "It's for your own good. Lostie's are not welcome."

Hasil rolled his eyes "I just don't want em getting in the wrong hands. Its bad enough I'm bringing a bunch of lowlanders up. I don't need strange folks being able to find a map up the mountain on that google."

"And when are we lowlanders leaving?" Sally Ann asked

"We will be rolling out of here at 0300 tomorrow morning" Dru said "I want to leave when its dark so we can get out of town undetected. We'll set up camp and wait for the Louisville team to arrive, should be late afternoon or early evening. We camp overnight, then head up the mountain at dawn."

"Camping?" Sally Ann questioned "Like outside in the woods, camping?"

"Yep!" Hasil said "Under the stars, surrounded by nature. No bathroom or showers. Critters in every tree…."

Sally Ann narrowed her eyes, annoyed she said "Stop."

"What?" Hasil said innocently

"I'm still going" She said firmly

It was Hasil's turn to get annoyed "And I still think it's a unnecessary risk."

"OK!" Erica said as Hasil and Sally Ann locked eyes "We're gonna go in and get these printed out." Picking up the laptop, she headed inside with Teddy and Dru on her heels.

Sally Ann saw the concern behind Hasil's anger "What can I do to make you feel better about me going?"

"Change your mind and stay behind." Hasil said

"What are you worried about?" Sally Ann asked quietly

Hasil sighed and reached out to touch her face "I don't think anybody would harm you on purpose, not even Big Foster. But feelings are gonna be running high. We lost a lot of kin these last few months. I just ain't sure how they're gonna take what we have to say…."

"I'll be honest, I don't like it up there. My first trip up gave me nightmares for weeks. I don't want to go back, but I want to support you." She raised her hand to stop him from interrupting. "There's more to it. I'm supposed to help…I need to help. I can feel it, something….…..I don't know….. but something is telling me I need to be there."

Hasil's was raised in a culture that was spiritual and believed they were guided by loved ones. He'd had a premonition himself before he went back up the mountain.

"How do you mean?" He asked

"When Cousin Asa came looking for fruit jugs, we talked some about you. He told me I needed to look out for you." She took a deep breath before continuing "Last night I dreamed about the that day, and everything was the same. He came into the house, I hit him with the bat, he explained who he was and I helped him with the fruit jugs. But instead of telling me to look out for myself and that I need to look out for you too, he said 'Look out for him, and look out for them too. You're a part of this family now, and we need you."

Hasil was stunned "What happened next?"

"Declan started kicking me in the kidney and I got up to pee" She said with a smile

Hasil smiled and nodded "I just need ya'll to be safe. If the spirits are calling you up the mountain, that's a good thing. They'll be watching over us. But you still gotta stay close to Dru and mind him. Don't be asking questions when you should be listening. Alright?"

She nodded "Promise. I have no desire to be thrown over Dru's shoulder like a sack of potatoes, which is apparently what will happen if I don't listen or move fast enough."

"He told you that?" Hasil asked, surprised

"Yep, he did. Kinda pissed me off." She said

"I can see that. I'm gonna talk to him right now" Hasil said seriously "I need to thank him!."

* * *

 

Lil Foster sat rocking Ray to sleep as G'win sewed the hem on the dress for her to wear to the naming ceremony tomorrow.

"Tomorrow's a big day for us" Lil Foster said

G'win asked the question she'd been wanting to ask since she woke up to find Lil Foster by her side after Ray's birth. "Are WE an US?"

Lil Foster looked up and met G'wins eyes. He held her gaze a moment before answering "I know why you married my Fa." He said softly "Didn't take but one day in that prison to know how far people will go to survive. You did it for the survival of this clan. If there wasn't someone tempering him, I don't know where we would be." He looked down at Ray "It hurt bad, but I know why you did it."

G'win nodded, tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry" she whispered

Meeting her eyes again, he continued "But Asa….you tried to hide it, not sure if it was from yourself or from me…but you loved him."

G'win looked away, feeling the tears start to fall. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before turning back to face Lil Foster.

"When Asa came back, it was like I went back 10 years and all of it was just as fresh as it was the day he left." She stopped, her throat tightening "For a little while everything I felt when he left was all I was feeling – hate, disappointment, love. But he wasn't meant to stay here, and he didn't love me how I should be loved. The 3 called him back because they needed his spirit, but the Asa Farrell I loved died a long time ago."

"Did you love me?" Lil Foster asked

"Did I? I do love you Foster. I was thrown when Asa came back, he called up feelings…I thought I'd made peace with certain things, but I hadn't. Not really. Then when Lady Ray died and I felt like I had to keep your Fa from…" Tears were flowing freely, she stopped to try and compose herself. "I was in a bad place and I felt alone."

"You weren't alone, I would've done anything for you." Lil Foster said

"I know. And I've made peace with the things I didn't know were haunting me. I look at you and our child and see the life I'm meant to have. The life I want to have" G'win said "I know we are stronger and better when we're together. I shouldn't have tried to do this alone. I hope someday you can forgive me"

They sat silently, eyes locked, for what seemed an eternity to G'win. Foster stood and placed Ray in her cradle. Walking over to G'win he held out his hand to her. She took his hand and he led her across the room until the were standing under the St. Brigid's Cross near the doorway.

Taking both her hands, Foster looked into her eyes "I forgive you and I love you. We both need time to heal and we have a fight yet to come. We can't talk about marriage now, but will you take The Unity Vow with me?"

G'win felt her heart leap, she nodded. Locking eyes, together they recited in old tongue

_"We swear by peace and love to stand,_

_Heart to heart and hand to hand._

_Mark, O Spirit, and hear us now,_

_Confirming this our Sacred Vow"_

Joyce was nervous, it's been 40 years since she'd set foot on Shay Mountain. But she was confident that this is what she was supposed to do.

She was still having a hard time believing her brother killed Ma. He was always a loud show off, but he was good natured and funny. What happened after she left? Over 200 years, a Farrell had never killed another Farrell. Hasil said he killed Lady Ray for the Oak, so it was a safe bet that anyone who stood between him and the Oak was a target.

Looking up a the mountain she said "Morai, I know your spirit is out there. Put a good word in for us with the Lord. We're heading out tomorrow. I hope to help right things and protect our clan so Ma and Fa can Rest In Peace."

 


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Wade was startled awake by his ringing cell phone. He looked at the clock, it was 7:01 AM. Damn, he hadn't meant to sleep that late. Reaching for the phone, he answered "Houghton here"

"Good morning Wade" He instantly recognized Dana's voice – sexy, strong, and tinged with humor.

"Hey Dana, morning" Wade replied, laying back and closing his eyes "How you doin?"

Wade could picture the smile on her face as she replied "I'm good, wanted to hear your voice and not your voicemail message - so I thought I'd try to catch you early"

He knew she was messing with him, but couldn't help his stammering response "Well….you know….things are…..I mean….its just been…"

Dana interrupted "Dude, I'm just giving you shit." She said with a laugh "Did I wake you?"

For the first time in a week, Wade smiled "Yeah, but I don't mind waking up to take shit from you."

"Well I got a job offer yesterday, so I should be able to give you shit more often – maybe even in person some days." She said

Wades stomach did a flip and his heart started beating faster, it took him a minute to remember this was a good thing and find his voice

"That'd be lovely." He said sincerely

"I think so too. I need to get ready to go. I just wanted to share the news and hear you voice." Dana said

"I'm glad you called, I forgot to set my alarm" Wade responded, then added "and, uh….. it was nice to hear your voice instead of a voicemail"

"I know theres still a lot of craziness going on out there. My daddy says it looks like martial law's been declared " She said "You take care of yourself Wade"

"I'll do my best" Wade promised

"Okay, talk to you soon." Dana said

"Sounds good" Wade said. He held the phone to his ear a few moments after Dana disconnected.

It wasn't the best time to be starting any kind of relationship, but it had been a long time since he'd looked forward to seeing or talking to anybody. He needed something to help him feel good again if he was gonna keep from going crazy or going back to hiding behind pain pills.

Yesterday had been a long day. Before rattling Meyers with the fake phone call, he'd had Deputy Judd Fults talk to Jon Campos. Turns out they knew each other, so Wade sent Judd to see if he could get the truth out of him. In the hotel managers office, Judd told Jon they were looking at Meyers for the murder of Haylie Grimes, and that would make him an accessory to murder. Judd had his blue tooth on, and Wade listened to the conversation.

"What?! Judd, you know me man – I wouldn't do nothing like that!" Jon exclaimed "He said he was coming in to see a lady friend – the kind that charges if you get what I mean. He said he's married and didn't want nobody to see him coming into the hotel"

"You didn't think it was strange that Haylie Grimes was killed the same night you helped him sneak in here?" Judd asked, incredulous "You didn't think the say something about that?"

"It didn't cross my mind! I swear on a stack of bibles, I didn't give it one thought till now!" Jon said. "He's said he was a friend of Ms. Grimes, that's why he was curious about what the sheriff was doing here – said he was trying to keep her ex-husband informed about what was going on."

"How did he contact you and how much did he pay you?" Judd asked

"Mostly by text and told me to erase them after I read them. He paid me $100 to let him in that night, and $200 every time I let him know the Sheriff was here." Jon said, his voice catching "You gotta believe me Judd, I didn't know he'd done nothing like that. I wouldn't have helped him if I knew what he was aiming to do. I can't go to jail, I got kids to raise…please man…."

Judd cut him off "You tell us what you know and help us, and we'll help you. Only person we want to go to down for this is Meyers. Okay?"

Campos readily agreed and Judd read him is Miranda rights and took a statement. Herb Bloom arranged to have Jon work temporarily at another property outside of town so he wouldn't be in danger. Judd gave him a burner phone and kept Jon's phone as evidence. If Matt Meyers tried to text Jon Campos, he would actually be talking to Deputy Fults.

* * *

 

Sally Ann said a silent prayer of thanks for Joyce and her Pop Up Camper. A fully loaded miracle with hot water, a shower, and bathroom.

As planned, they'd left Joyce's place at 3AM in her husbands truck with the camper hitched to the back and the rented SUV. They'd set up camp in a small clearing hidden from the road. Sally Ann slept the entire drive, seated next to Hasil who was navigating to the clearing. He was asleep in one of the 3 beds in the camper. The security team was working in shifts, taking turns sleeping and guarding the camp site. Between the SUV, camper, and truck everyone was able to find a comfortable place to work or rest.

Joyce and Sally Ann sat in chairs under the awning outside of the camper.

"My husband loved to camp, but I quickly became attached to having a toilet and hot water after leaving the mountain." Joyce explained "This was our compromise"

"Well thank you". Sally Ann said "I wasn't looking forward to camping and this makes things so much easier"

"Why are you going up?" Joyce asked "I have to say, I agree with Hasil – I think it's an unnecessary risk."

"I'm not sure I understand myself. What I know is I'm worried about Hasil, he feels responsible for some of what happened to his cousins. He can be..…..he just reacts….". She stopped, not sure how to describe her concerns. "I guess I'm hoping he won't be as reckless if I'm close. The part I'm unsure about is weird…"

"Weird?" Joyce questioned

"Yeah." Sally Ann explained "I'm not a superstitious person, but I've started to feel a weird pull to the mountain. I left Hasil the night after he took me up there and tried to walk down by myself…."

"You tried to walk down the mountain by yourself? At night?" Joyce interrupted, shocked

"I know, I know…Hasil begged me to stay but I was so freaked out." She felt a chill as she recalled her fear "Anyway, I don't know what was keeping me moving – but I just kept moving and then I got to a place where I just knew to stop. That if I waited someone would find me there. I was terrified, but I stayed right there. That's where the Sheriff found me. Then when James found out about the baby, I didn't have anywhere to go – I was panicked. I drove toward the mountain and ran off the road. A girl, I don't know her name – she didn't say a word – she was there and led me up the mountain right to Hasil." Sally Ann shook her head in disbelief "She just happened to be there, at the base of the mountain in the middle of the night!? Now I'm having dreams about Cousin Asa, telling me the I'm part of the family and they need me?"

She felt like she was rambling and stopped to catch her breath, closing her eyes and breathing in deeply. When she opened them and met Joyce's eyes "I don't understand it and it still scares me – but something has protected me when I'm on the mountain."

"It's the spirit of the mountain" Joyce responded "Is é an sliabh a bhaineann leis na daoine a thagann i síocháin agus a chosnaíonn na daoine a choimeádann an tsíocháin" she said in the old tongue "The mountain respects those who come in peace and protects those that keep the peace"

Sally Ann was skeptical "The actual mountain has a spirit?"

"It does. The first of our family that came to this country were Sages, Healers, Seers. Every time they tried to settle in a community they had to move on quickly, finding folks generally intolerant of what they didn't understand. All they wanted was to find someplace to settle in peace" Joyce explained "Neila Shay was a Seer, she prayed and asked God to lead them to a home. She soon felt the spirit of the mountain calling her and led the clans here. They made a pact with the mountain that we would protect one another and live in peace. The mountain would sustain us with food and water and we would lend our spirits to the mountain when we passed to sustain it."

Sally Ann sighed "The whole thing is just …..its so hard to wrap my head around it"

"I know, but its true." Joyce said "The task will be figuring out how the clan lost our way and getting back to honoring the pact with the mountain."

"What's a Seer?" Sally Ann asked

"Someone who is psychic" Joyce explained "or an intuitive who has a connection with nature and the spirit realm. My grandmother was a Psychic Seer."

Sally Ann smiled "You know Frieda thinks you're psychic"

Joyce laughed "Not hardly! I have some intuitive ability, but since I left home so young I didn't get the training to really nourish it. I can feel auras and spiritual connections, but I don't see past or future events. I knew we were connected the moment I met you."

Sally Ann was shocked "How? I was like, 16 at the time…"

"I felt a familial aura, it was very faint – I didn't know if it was a past or a future connection." Joyce said "but there was a definite family tie."

"So what does your intuition tell you about this trip up the mountain?" Sally Ann asked

Joyce looked at the mountain in the distance and answered "I don't know. I feel the spirit of the mountain calling me, for the first time in 40 years. I have to believe it is because I can make a difference and help restore peace.

* * *

 

Matt Meyers had an appointment to meet Don Fushee at 10:30AM. There was a good chance he would be killed at some point after the meeting. If he ran, he would certainly be killed – he didn't have the resources or skills to run for long. His best chance at survival was to go to the meeting and sell his usefulness. He was still very close to the situation and would have an inside track on what the Feds find in the course of this investigation. He also had legitimate connections in law enforcement and government. Not the kind that could keep his head off the chopping block or clean up the mess he'd made , but certainly the type who could be useful to Don. He was walking a thin line between asset and liability, and that could be deadly for someone like him. He needed to get firmly back in asset territory.

In order to do that, he needed to know what the Sheriff knew. In an effort to distance himself from his deeds, he hadn't touched base with Jon Campos in over a week. But he needed to try to find out what footage Wade was talking about during that call.

He picked up his phone to text Jon " _Any news to share?"_

Wade and Judd were going over Jon's statement in his office when the text came through. "Meyers just sent a text. Says "Any news to share?" Judd said, handing Wade the phone

Wade took the phone and typed a response " _ain't seen the Sheriff want me to ask around?"_

Wade barely set the phone down before it alerted again " _Yes, need any info you can get me ASAP”_

Wade showed it to Judd "We better play a little hard to get here, what should I say"

"Say he'll check when he gets to work this afternoon, see how urgent it is." Judd suggested

_"I go in at 1 will let you know"_ Wade responded

Meyers response came quickly " _can't wait until 1pm, can you get me info by 10? Will double your usual."_

"What if he wants to meet?" Judd asked

Wade thought for a minute before responding " _not enough time to go in early and meet to collect"_

" _I'll send with Square Cash right now, really need this_ " Meyers Replied

Wade smiled and typed " _send now will go soon as I get it"_

Now they just had to decide how much info and misinfo to feed him. Wade was going to enjoy watching this prick dig his own grave.

* * *

 

Naming Ceremonies on Shay Mountain always began when the Sun was at its highest point. Close kin gathers at Healing Springs, a hot springs deep in the Shay Mountain Forrest, to offer blessings. Standing waist deep in the hot springs with the parents kneeling and holding the child, an Elder would say a prayer asking for blessings and health for the child.

Holding Ray, G'win and Lil Foster kneeled together in the warm healing waters before Emelye for the blessing.

Emelye began "Clan, we are gathered here to bless this child born to Foster Farrell IIIV and G'winveer Farrell. Today we welcome a new daughter and pray for the Lords blessings."

" _Heavenly Father,_

_In your love you have called us to know you, led us to trust you, and bound our life on this mountain with yours. Dear Lord surround this child with your love, protect her from evil, give her good health and long life . We pray you fill her with the holy spirit as we receive her into our family, that she may walk with us in the teachings of faith and peace, and grow in the knowledge of your love."_

Emelye placed one hand on Ray's belly and began to sprinkle healing water on her with the other " _You are Ray – named for your Grand Morai' – your name meaning Grace. You are named Brigid – named for St. Brigid – who offers protection against evil spirits_." Moving her hand to the child's heart she said " _Love, Peace, Family. Amen"_

Lil Foster and G'win stood to face the clan as they raised there voices to cheer "GED GED YAH!"

As they walked together toward their family, Lil Foster smiled down at G'Win and Ray. He would enjoy and cherish today as his most blessed. Tomorrow he would meet with the elders to accept The Oak and become Bren'in of his clan. Tomorrow, everything would change.

* * *

 

The Louisville team arrived with the news crew and supplies for the trip up the mountain. They had three 4 wheel ATV's with small truck beds for hauling equipment and supplies. They managed to get everything on Dru's list as well as the supplies Joyce wanted to take. Kris Ward and Joel Knight from the NBC affiliate out of Louisville would capture the clan's story if allowed.

They would again be departing at 3AM tomorrow so as to make it up the mountain early. The group headed to the hotel would depart at the same time tomorrow with a goal a meeting back in the same spot by sun down in 2 days.

Dru gathered the group to review security protocol. "When we get up the mountain, Hasil will take the lead in navigating his family. Erica and I will be on Hasil and Sally Ann, Claire and Ellis will be on Ledda and Joyce, and Teddy will have Kris and Joel. We aren't sure what's going on up there, so we need to be prepared to get out fast if things go bad. Stick with your security team members at all times – no exceptions. We will check in with the hotel team via SAT phone at pre-arranged times. The main priority is to get Joyce in a position to explain how the ACLU can help."

"What's the best way to do that Hasil?" Joyce asked "I've been gone a long time…..Elders council? Call a circle?"

"Probably both." Hasil responded "Best to work through it with the Elders and let them call a circle. I recall hearing that G'win told everybody we oughta share our story before the last run, so I think the news folks will be welcome."

"Can you think of anything or anybody we need to be concerned about?" Claire asked

Hasil nodded "Big Foster. I know they ain't gonna give him over to the Sheriff. Best they might do is banish him, if that ain't already done. He ain't going without a fight and he won't care who gets hurt."

"Does he have any weapons? Will anybody stand with him if there's trouble?" Dru asked

"He has some guns, don't know how many." Hasil responded "I know they was short on bullets from what the boys said. Phil'up is the only cousin likely stand with him. I think if there's a peaceful way, Lil Foster would stand with G'win and the Elders. The rest of the clan will follow them."

"We'll need your help to make sure each of the team can identify Big Foster and Phil'up on sight." Dru requested "We have non-lethal force weapons with us. If there is any threat, we can take care of it without causing lasting harm"

"My father and grandmother fought about having guns among us." Joyce added "She saw that it would only bring death. It was probably the one thing she and my mother agreed on. Disarming him will be part of my talks with the Elders."

"Above all else, the goal is to get everyone out safely" Dru reminded "Again, stick with your assigned security team at all times. Once we get closer, Hasil will help us pick a couple of rendezvous spots in case the teams get separated, we'll mark those with RFID sensors. We have small satellite RFID tracking chips, everyone will need to conceal one in their clothing. If we get separated, we can track you by contacting the team at the hotel."

Kris, the news reporter, asked "How does a non-profit afford satellite phones and tracking devices?"

"We go up against powerful corporations, and in instances where outcomes impact entire industries – they have what seems like infinite resources." Dru explained "We have some very generous donors who understand our need to level the playing field, particularly in the area of security. These chips and phones are 4 years old, outdated by today's standards - but they are invaluable to us. It allows a team of 5 to do what those corporations would send a team of 20 to do.

"You're here to do a story on the Farrell Clan, not our security practices" Claire reminded icily. "Having our methods publicized would be a hinderance to providing protection to clients and people like you in the future."

Kris threw up her hands "I was just asking. I'll stick to covering the client, just as the contract specifically and repeatedly states."

"That would be best" Dru stated "We've got an early morning tomorrow. I'd like to have a dark camp by 8pm so we can secure the perimeter. We'll work on bunk assignments, in the meantime Ellis has hot soup and sandwiches -help yourselves.”

* * *

 

After dinner, Hasil lay shirtless on a bed in the camper. Sally Ann sat next to him and started to work on removing his bandage.

"Hey" She said, noticing a far away look in his eyes "What's wrong?"

Hasil turned to meet her eyes "I just wish I knew what was going on up there. I don't like the idea of showing up with a bunch of folks not knowing what I'm getting em into."

Sally Ann examined his stitches, everything seemed to be holding up well. "I think Dru has a good plan, and we talked through the other options – this seemed like the best way."

Hasil winched as Sally Ann cleaned the wound with alcohol "Yeah, I know – don't mean I like it and I just wish I knew more."

Sally Ann applied a new bandage and laid down next to Hasil, who turned on his side to face her. "It's gonna be fine, we're going up to protect the peace. Joyce said the mountain takes care of those who protect and respect peace."

"That's what they say" Hasil acknowledged, touching her face "But I got a few cousins with The Lord now who might not agree on that"

"Well I believe it" Sally Ann responded "I feel it and its protected me and Declan."

"I just hope the Elders listen to Joyce and trust what she's got to say." Hasil said "It's the only way out fo this mess."

Sally Ann leaned close for a kiss and said "She's nervous, but I have faith in her – and in you. She'll need your help to convince them."

Hasil pulled her close and shifted onto his back "I know. I was worried about you coming along, still am…..but I'm glad you're here. This is gonna be tough, I need you."

Sally Ann placed his hand on her belly "Your family will be right there – you go, we go…..right Declan?"

They both smiled as Declan responded with a kick. Hasil leaned back and closed his eyes, determined to cherish this moment. Tomorrow, everything would change.


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello Fellow Fans - short chapter! Trying to get inspired for the trip up the mountain, hope you enjoy!

Chapter 24

Matt Myers couldn't sleep. He kept replaying his meeting with Don in his head. He made it out of there alive, but just barely. He found out from Jon Campos that Wade had been back to the hotel, but he didn't know what for or who he'd seen. Jon told him he'd try to get more info, but that's all he walked into the meeting. He had zero intel on what the Sheriff was looking into and was relying completely on his relationship with Don and his connections to the incident response.

He strode in with more confidence than he felt. "Don!" he said, extending his hand "Good to see you, sir"

"Matt" Don replied, shaking his hand "Thanks for coming partner, have a seat. Drink?"

"That sounds good" Matt replied, taking a seat

Don fixed them both a drink and sat down opposite Matt. "Matt, you know me – I'm gonna get right to the point. What the hell are you doing?"

"Don, I know things have gotten challenging…" Matt started

"Challenging? Matt you have shit the bed in the most spectacular manner I've had the misfortune of witnessing." Don explained calmly "You killed a woman. A friend, someone who was valuable to this organization." He put his hand up to stop Matt from interrupting "I liked Haylie – but If it was good for business, I wouldn't have a problem with it. You pulled in someone who robbed us of information and gave it to our enemies, then turned your plan against us and created a got damn natural disaster. Oh, and for some reason you thought it was a good idea to try to have that hillbilly kid killed in the hospital. That cover it?"

Matt hung his head for a moment before looking up to meets Don's eyes "Yes sir, I believe that covers it"

"What don't I know?" Don asked

Matt hesitated, this was his chance to come clean and try to right the ship. "Even though Haylie's death was ruled a suicide, the Sheriff has been sniffing around. I'm not sure what he knows, but he's been talking to the judge."

"And there's the cherry on this shit sundae!" Don exclaimed

"I'm sorry Don. I lost my temper with Haylie and made a horrendous mistake. I lost my head and just kept making mistake after mistake" Matt admitted "This is bad, but I'm good. You've seen what I can do, let me clean this up." He pleaded "I have as much at stake as anyone in this situation – one way or another, my life is on the line."

Don leaned back and downed the rest of his drink then slammed the glass down on the table "You're damn right it is my friend"

"I'm close to the FEMA investigation and my position affords me certain access if a Federal Investigation is initiated. I will influence, steer, and mitigate where I can – and where I can't you'll know what I know and be ahead of the game." Leaning forward, he urged "Let me fix this."

"Why'd you try to hit that kid at the hospital?" Don asked

"I just wasn't sure what he knew or who he could connect me to, and I panicked."Matt admitted. "He's the only one of them accessible to the police, and I thought he might be able to connect me to Gordon – who knows what he told them - or to what Haylie saw when she went up there."

Don rose to fix himself another drink "And what did Haylie see?"

Matt hesitated before deciding to continue being honest "West Virginia" He stated quietly.

Don was stunned, his expression a mixture of shock and anger. West Virginia had been his brothers doing and since he took over One Planet – he'd drawn a clear line not to be crossed. There wasn't much on the forbidden side of that line – but a repeat of West Virginia was the most prominent.

Finding his voice, Don growled "How many?"

"One that I now of" Matt said quietly, hanging his head "a child."

Don's hand shook as he raised the glass and downed his second drink. "Get out" he said quietly

Matt looked up "Don…."

Don interrupted, still speaking quietly "Don't say another word. If I make a decision now, it will not be in your best interest. Arnie will be in touch. Leave. Now."

So far Arnie had not "been in touch." Matt couldn't help but wonder if that meant a phone call or a bullet…..

* * *

 

"Honey, I'm gonna deal with it. It's gonna be alright."

Ledda squeezed her eyes shut to hold the tears in and turned her face into the pillow. Those were the last words Breece said to her before Wade closed the car door. There eyes met as the car pulled away, he smiled briefly – trying to further reassure her.

Her determination was fading. She decided to come so she could deliver the message she was sure Breece wanted to share before he was killed. But she wasn't sure she could stand in the place where he took his last breath without falling apart.

She wasn't alone. Sitting with Joyce, Hasil, and Sally Ann last night – they counted the degrees of separation between them. Joyce and Sally Ann have been friends for years. Sally Ann falls for Joyce's cousin Hasil. Sally Ann's brother James kidnapped Hasil and his boss - Ledda's husband, Breece, set Hasil free. When Breece went up the mountain to stop James and his friends from doing harm, Joyce's brother – also Hasil's cousin – killed him. Later Ledda's brother Wade saved Hasil and brought him to Breece and Ledda's home.

They were all connected, and Joyce assured them it was not by chance. Ledda believed that. She saw the news footage of the child found after the Greenpoint Mine incident and recognized the boy who visited her. Sally Ann showed Hasil the coverage and he said the boy's name was Elon Farrell and he'd died months ago. He was Foster's youngest and favorite son. She'd been visited not by her husband, but by the child of the man who murdered him. She believed that visit saved her life, and was part of God's plan for her.

Ledda prayed to God for the strength to get through this. Turning, she looked out the window to see Shay Mountain in the distance….then whispered a message to Breece. "Honey, I'm gonna deal with it. It's gonna be alright."

* * *

 

Foster Farrell VIII sat on his back porch, staring up at the moon. In just a few hours, he would become Bren'in of his clan. He didn't expect this day come so soon, and he sure didn't expect his Fa to be alive to see it. He sure didn't expect the clan would be going through the most trying times since they came to the mountain.

He knew he would have to figure out what to do about his Fa and how to deal with the coal folks. G'win was right about needing to share there story, and she was right about all of the lowlanders not being demons. He remembered the Doctor at the prison, and Wade helping to get him out. There were good folks down there, and they needed help in this fight.

G'win voice came from inside "Foster?"

He turned toward the door, "Aye Agra?" He said in old tongue (Yes my love)

"You alright?" She said coming to the door

"Yeah, just pondering on the morning" he answered

G'win stepped out and placed her hands on his shoulders "Tomorrow is your the coronation, lets just get through that. The Elders can help with a plan….."

"Not to long ago, I tried to take my own life – now I'm to be Bren'in." Foster mused

"These past few months have been like nothing in our clans history." G'win said "You've come out of it a better and stronger man. More than ever, we need to come together – you're the man who can bring us together. It won't be easy, but you got all of us behind you."

Foster reached up and took her hand and brought it to his lips. "Thank you. We can take the day tomorrow for coronation, but after that we gotta get down the mountain and see what's going on. Then we gotta find a way to get our story out and make the coal company and the law listen. But I can't show my face down there without going back to prison. How can I lead that fight from up here?"

"We'll find a way" G'win promised "we always do. C'mon to bed, we got a long day ahead of us."

Foster nodded and stood. Stopping at the door, he took one more long look at the moon. His Grand Morai used to say "The Sun sees your body, but the Moon sees your soul". He wanted peace for his clan with every bit of his soul. Standing under the moonlight, he prayed the spirits protecting the mountain would see that and be with them in the days ahead.

* * *

 

It's pitch black and raining, Wade Houghton can't see a thing. He slowed his truck as he rounded the curve and glanced at his unlikely passenger

"Who's side are you on?" Asa demands

"Who do you got damn think?" Wade asked, dismayed "I want you to know, I mean you folks no harm."

"I know you're lying to me" Asa said flatly

"No, I ain't" Wade said earnestly "I swear it on my boy"

"That mountains gonna come for you" Asa warned "You understand me? Just like it did your Daddy."

"I'm doing everything I can to make things right!" Wade promised

Asa's tone was menacing "You're gonna make em back off for good, or that boy of yours… "

Wade caught a glimpse of something moving fast and swerved to avoid a collision. He came to a halt by the side of the road and looked up. Asa was no longer sitting next to him, he was standing in the road flanked by 3 wolves.

"Make em back off Wade, for good!" Asa warned. As he turned, the wolves turned with him. Before Wades eyes, he saw Asa morph into a red wolf.

Wade Houghton woke up in a cold sweat, his heart racing. He quickly threw the covers back and let his feet his the cold floor. "What the hell?" He thought to himself. He reached for the water on the night stand and took a long drink. His hands were shaking as he brought the bottle to his lips. Probably just nerves with Ledda and them heading up in the morning.

Looking out his window, he could see Shay Mountain in the light of the moon. Standing, he walked toward the window and stared out at The Mountain. "I'm doing everything I can to make things right" he promised.

* * *

 

Sally Ann sat on the bed watching Hasil get dressed. He was changing into his mountain clothes – kilt and tank top, with his leather belt and all that came with it.

"You're awfully quiet." She observed

"Well…." Hasil replied, tightening the belt around his waist

"Nervous?" Sally Ann asked

Hasil sighed "Yeah. We're doing the right thing, but that don't mean its gonna be easy."

Sally Ann raised up on her knees on the edge of the bed and opened her arms "C'mere"

Hasil came forward and wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his head on her chest.

"I love you" she reminded him "and I have faith in you. I know you can help them see that this is right thing to protect their future."

Hasil nodded but didn't say anything, trying to concentrate on the feel of Sally Ann to steady himself. When his heart calmed, he pulled back and looked up at her "Thank you Darlin" he said, placing his hand on her face and drawing her in for a kiss. "We better get movin. Remember to stay close to Dru in case things get rough, alright?"

Sally Ann twisted a strand of his hair around her fingers "Promise. Don't worry about me, you just focus on…."

They were interrupted by Erica banging on the door "Its 0300, lets move people! The world isn't gonna save itself!"

They laughed and untangled themselves, Hasil extended his hand to help her off the bed. Sally Ann slipped into her coat and turned to Hasil "Just focus on saving your families world"


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

  
They’d been traveling about 3 hours now and Hasil estimated they were about an hour out from the Baile (village). Dru ordered a brief stop for a quick meal and to check in with the team hold up in the hotel. He also planned to plant the first of the sensors.

  
“We’ll take about 20 minutes for a bio break and to check in.” Dru said “Then we will hand out the trackers so everyone is tagged.

  
They’d had a light breakfast of eggs and cinnamon bread, but anything could happen once they got up the mountain – everyone needed to be alert and ready. As everyone moved around to stretch there legs, Ellis started handing out prepackaged ration sacks - Protein bar, fruit, and water. “Eat up folks. Not sure when our next meal will come around.”

  
Teddy pulled out a case “I’ll find a place to set up the latrine.”

  
Sally Ann looked down at the rations and replayed the word latrine in her mind. You’re doing this for Hasil, she reminded herself silently.

  
“You good?” Hasil asked, extending his hand to help her out of the vehicle

  
She smiled as she accepted his hand “Yep, I’m good”

  
“You should move round’ to get your blood going” Hasil said “we’ll be there soon.” He turned as Dru called his name and gestured for him to come over to look at map he had spread out on one of the hoods. Raising Sally Ann’s hand to his lips for a quick kiss, he promised “be right back”

  
“According the the tracking chips, we are here” Dru said, pointing to a spot on the map. “Where are we headed?” He asked Hasil

  
“This is the way as the crow flies, the Baile is here” Hasil said, pointing “We’ll need to go round’ some rocks about here, so that’ll add some time. Should take about a hour in these fancy wheels ya’ll got.”

  
Dru took a pencil and marked the path Hasil pointed out. “I’ll take a picture of the map and send it” he said into the phone. “We’ll be okay – don’t worry about us. Jimbo will be able to track us.” Pausing, his face softened and he said “I love you too.”

  
Dru opened the small case containing the RFID Chips. “Hey Jimbo. I’ll read you a chip number and assign a name, ready?”

  
Jimbo confirmed tracking was live on each chip as Dru assigned it. Everyone was instructed to secure it somewhere on there person. Lastly he planted a sensor in a tree as a landmark for should it be needed to get to there location.

  
“Okay folks” Dru said to the gathered group “We are about an hour from our destination. We will have to play things by ear since we don’t know what we are walking into. Stay close to your assigned security team – follow our lead. Moving out in 10 minutes. Teddy has set us a lovely latrine just inside the tree line, please take advantage of it before we leave.” Turning to Sally Ann he said “Pregnant ladies first…..”

  
She narrowed her eyes and accepted Hasil’s hand “C’mon …..” Hasil said  
____________________

  
At first light, Lil Foster went searching for his Fa. Coming to Big Fosters place, he found Phil’up asleep on chair in the front yard. He walked over and tapped the chair with his foot and Phil’up woke with a start.  “Morning Cousin.” Foster said quietly “Where is he?”

  
“Morning” Phil’up answered, he looked haggard “Inside. Been drinking all night. Had a hell of a time getting him in there, but I reckon he’ll be out for awhile.”

  
“Alright” he responded “Elders are gonna be meeting after the morning meal. I’ll send Zeke up here to keep watch from the trees and let us know when he is moving around. How was he?”

  
“He was seeing things and talking real crazy…..talking to Elon, Asa, Lady Ray, Foster V…….he’s coming apart. You know he faults G’win for him not being Bren’in no more?”

  
Foster let out a long breath “Yeah, I know. I don’t reckon he’ll be swayed from that thinking.”

  
“What you gonna do about him?” Phil’up asked

  
“I don’t know” He answered cautiously “I’ll work through it with the elders.”

  
“I just wish…..” Phil’up started, but stopped himself. He knew the difference between what he wished and what was necessary…..

  
“So do I, Cousin” said Lil Foster, patting on the shoulder. “You and him got the only fire left on this mountain. You want me to….”

  
“It ought to me me if it comes to that.” Phil’up said, looking at the ground “He won’t expect it, so it’ll be quick and easy. I’ll live with it, I’m just as much to blame as him for putting those boys in the ground.”

  
“There’s plenty of blame to go around.” Foster said.

  
Phil’up nodded “You ought to send Cornbread up to get Stubby. We might need some help.” Remembering that he was speaking to the man soon to be Bren’in, he added “All due respect, if you think……”

  
“It’s a good thought” Lil Foster said “You’re right about needing the help, I’ll do that. You can speak your mind free Cousin, we won’t always see eye to eye – but I’ll always hear you out. We all gotta speak free if we want to stay free”

  
Phil’up looked to meet Foster’s eyes “Can I ask you something?”

  
“Anything” he replied

  
“Was Asa your brother?” Phil’up asked “Big made Trevor and me take him to his grave. Called Asa his boy”

  
Recalling his parents fighting as a child, Foster shared “Fa always denied it, but my Ma believed he was. Asa came right out and asked him one day and got a beating for it. He dragged him back to his Ma and told her it was her fault Asa got beat – cause she was filling his head with lies. Wasn’t no talk of it again”

  
“I didn’t know that. Big knelt at Asa’s grave and told him he truly wanted to say his sorries for what he’d done to him.” Phil’up shared

  
“I don’t believe Asa would be forgiving.” Foster said quietly “Fa took to much from him. He’s taken too much from me, from us – our way of life, our peace. I’m gonna get those things back, for all of us”  
______________________

Tim came through again. Though he wasn’t able to hack it, he did find the location of the server the Wilkes brothers were using. It was located in a storage unit in Austin, Texas.

  
“It’s easy to trace the traffic from there computers and devices to the server. If I try to hack into it they’ll be able to detect it. But its there, I was able to get eyes on it. I’m forwarding you copies of the rental contract and photos of the server. See if Kat can work her magic and trace the LLC listed on the contract” Tim said

  
“You’re in Austin?” Arlene asked

  
“Not anymore.” He replied

  
She knew the answer, but asked anyway “Where are you?”

  
“Lena…..” he said quietly “you know I can’t tell you that.”

  
“You can’t live like this forever Tim” she cautioned “It’s going to catch up with you.”

  
“I don’t know any other way to live” Tim said “I miss a few people, my folks…..you. But this is what I do. This is my calling.”  
Arlene took a deep breath. “Just please…..be careful”

  
“I will” he promised “You too Lena…..go get em Babe”

  
Arlene closed her eyes and kept the phone to her ear for a moment, her heart was pounding. All these years and still……..she put the phone down and turned to Kat. “He found the server” she said quietly

  
“You okay?” Kat asked

  
Arlene stood and ran her fingers through her hair. “Yeah, I’m okay. He’s sending some documents and we have a little research to do. We need to be ready to dangle the carrot in front of Justice tomorrow so we’re prepared when they come back down the mountain.”

  
“I’m taking a quick break.” Kat declared “and you’re going to join me. They have a Mimosa Bar listed on the room service menu……and cake.”

  
“Kat!” Arlene exclaimed “Its 0930 in the morning……..”

  
“So?” She replied “I’m a grown ass woman, I can have cake and mimosa anytime I want to……” she linked arms with Arlene and steered her to the couch “or anytime my friend needs to. Sit. Maximum two rounds, then we get back to work – still plenty of time for blowing shit up. Deal?”

  
Arlene smiled and nodded “Deal.”

  
Kat smiled “I pick the 1st round, you’re getting Pomegranate and I’ll try the Orange Cranberry.”  
____________________

  
Wade had a long conversation with Arlene early in the morning. She told him the team was headed up the mountain and promised to update him when she heard from them. He asked for her advice – they wanted to get more aggressive with Matt Meyers, and he needed to understand the line he had to tow to avoid entrapment.

  
“He went right to his place after he visited the One Planet offices, didn’t leave all night.” Judd said “He’s at the FEMA site right now.”

  
“I’m gonna send him a message that I was at the hotel last night and see where the conversation goes” Wade explained. “But I’m gonna wait till he gets back here so we can have eyes on him”

  
“If the ACLU folks have enough to go to the Justice Department, why are we doing this?” Judd asked

  
“They got evidence on One Planet and some State Officials, but nothing on the Haylie Grimes murder.” Wade explained “I want him to go down for that. I feel like I owe her that much. He wont’t be able to flip and then walk with no jail time if he is on the hook for murder.”

  
“I guess you’re right. And you can’t have too much evidence.” Judd said “I just want our town back. When this is over, I want it to be over for good.”

  
Wade did a double take at his choice of words, recalling his dream last night (Asa demanding “Make em back off Wade, for good!) “Yeah, we want to build a air tight case. I’ll wait here for Meyers. You go on ahead and get the rest of the stuff together we talked about. We gotta get it over to Arlene this afternoon.”

  
“I’m on it Sheriff” Deputy Fults replied, rising to leave

  
Wade sat at his desk and stared at the phone, he had to make the most of this opportunity. He couldn’t screw this up, it was his only chance to talk to Meyers without a lawyer present.  
________________

  
“Dru!” Claire barked “2 O’clock”

  
Dru stopped the vehicle and reached for his binoculars, there were 3 figures in the distance. As he raised his binoculars to get a closer look, he could see them looking at them through a much older pair of binoculars. They were very animated and pointing towards the group.

  
The rest of the security group got out of the vehicles and took up positions covering each side of the convoy. As Erica approached to cover the front, Dru handed Hasil the binoculars. “Recognize any of them?”

  
Looking at the group, Hasil smiled “It’s Cornbread, Stubby, and Runt”

  
“Seriously?!” Erica enthused “That is like, THE perfect name for a country music group”

  
Claire rolled her eyes “Are they members of your family Hasil?”

  
The group started to walk toward them as he answered “Yeah, Shay cousins.”

  
Dru exited the vehicle “Hasil, lets walk up to meet them. Claire, you and the country music fan get everyone out and positioned between the vehicles and the tree line.”

  
Hasil stepped out and turned to offered Sally Ann a helping hand to step down. Before she could speak he promised “I’ll be careful.” Placing his hand on the small of her back, he guided her toward Claire. Turning, Hasil stared off with Dru toward his cousins.

  
Dru sized up the group as they came close. By process of elimination, he figured the one that was about 5’10 and 180lbs was Cornbread. The other two had to be around 6’5 and at least 250lbs each. “So which one is Stubby and which one is Runt?” He asked Hasil

  
“The one with the gray hair is Stubby” Hasil replied “Runt is his son, he’s the smallest of his boys.”

  
“I’ll follow your lead here.” Dru replied “Anything I should know?”

  
“These boys keep there heads.” Hasil remarked “They won’t be no trouble. Hang back a little bit and let us say our hello’s, then I’ll get you aquatinted.”

  
Nodding, Dru slowed his pace and allowed Hasil to pull ahead.

  
“Hasil boy! We was really hoping you wasn’t dead!” Stubby shouted and he moved toward Hasil.

  
“No sir, alive and well thanks to some real kind folks.” Hasil replied. Stopping in front of Stubby, he extended his forearm and Stubby did the same - they each gripped the others arm and touched foreheads.  Stubby’s other hand came up and grabbed the back of Hasil’s head. “Good to see you home boy” he said, voice trembling with emotion

  
“Good to be home Cousin.” Hasil replied. He greeted Runt and Cornbread with the same ritual.

  
“What happened to you Cousin?” Runt asked

  
“Lil Foster said you was shot and one of the lowlanders took you to get help.” Cornbread said

  
“Lady there with those folks back yonder took me in, got me help.” Hasil explained “They saved my life”

“Who are all those folks?” Stubby asked

  
Hasil turned and gestured for Dru to join them “We need to talk to The Bren’in. We got a right to stay on our land and they’re gonna help us fight for it. This is Dru”

  
Dru shook hands with each cousin “Hasil is right, we are here to help.”

  
Runt chimed in “No offense Mr., but that don’t look like much of an army.”

  
Dru smiled “For the kind of fighting we do, we have more than enough. We can make them leave your family alone without blood shed.”

  
“G’win still Bren’in?” Hasil asked

  
Cornbread responded “I guess, at least right now. Big Foster tried to take it when they got back and there was a big ruckus. G’win said she’d pass it to Lil Foster. After G’win had her baby The Council met and declared Big Foster had no right to be Bren’in on account of what he done to Lady Ray.”

  
“Lil Foster is to become Bren’in today.” Stubby shared “He sent for me just in case Big Foster gets out of hand”

  
“This is good” Hasil said to Dru “Lil Foster will want to do this peaceful.”

  
“We all do” Cornbread said “Too many of us are gone. No more.”

  
“Ya’ll want to ride with us? We got room, right Dru?” Hasil asked

  
“Sure!” Dru said “These are 6 seaters, so we have should space” Of course Stubby and Runt count as 2 each, he thought to himself ”We can make it work”

  
As the group turned to walk back toward the team, Runt put his hand on Hasil’s shoulder. “I’m sure glad to have my favorite Cousin back! You gonna be staying?”

  
“I can’t Runt, me and my girl are having a baby – a lil boy.” Hasil said

  
“How’d you know it’s a boy?” Runt asked

  
“They got this machine looks inside the Ma and can see the baby.” Hasil explained “I seen with my own eyes, it’s a boy.”

  
“I can see you done some growing up since I saw you last” Stubby observed “This gal must be good for you.”

  
“Yes sir.” Hasil said “She’s here, you can make her acquaintance.”

  
As they approached the group, Joyce came forward and Stubby stopped – his eyes wide. “Joy? Joy Farrell?”

  
“Yeah, its me.” Joyce said, her eyes stinging “Hey Stubby”

  
Stubby stepped forward and wrapped Joyce in a bear hug. “Lord Gal, you’re a sight for these sore eyes! Aintin Joyce always said you’d be back someday!”

  
Stepping back, Joyce smiled “I know, she told me the same thing but I wasn’t sure if she was right until a few days ago. I’m here to help, we’re going to stop the coal company.”

  
“GED GED YAH!” Stubby roared

 

 

 


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Hope everyone had a great holiday! Thanks for sticking with me, I know its hard to stay engaged when you get one chapter at a time!

* * *

 

Chapter 26

Wade Houghton was sitting at his desk when he saw Matt Meyers return from the FEMA meeting. He would wait about 10-15 minutes and send him a text message. Wade wished he had an idea of what was going on with Dru up on Shay Mountain. He needed to get as much evidence as he could before the ACLU team went to the Feds.

Wade started when his own cell phone rang. "Houghton here" he answered

"Wade, its Herb Bloom." Wade heard from the other end

"What's going on Herb?" He replied

"We just got some mail addressed to Haylie Grimes." Herb said "looks like its from a title company"

Wade stood and grabbed Jon's cell phone. "I'll be right there Herb."

As he walked out of his office, Wade thought he could use this with Meyers. Knocking on Matt's door, he popped his head in "Hey. Any follow up for my team from the FEMA meeting?"

Without looking up from his laptop, Meyers responded "No, and you'd know that if you had a representative attend."

"I got the briefing from Mike last night, just checking to see if any new popped up. I'll be back for the afternoon call" Wade responded "Heard from the manager over at the hotel, said he's got some information about Haylie Grimes. Gonna stop by there and then grab some lunch. You want me to bring you anything?

Meyers head snapped up at the mention of Haylie "What about Haylie?"

"Not sure, hotel manager wants to talk to me about her." Wade was pleased to see he had Meyers attention "Anyway, I gotta get going….." he said, closing the door and turning to walk away. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of Meyers still sitting a his desk with his head in his hands.

* * *

 

Foster VIII stood with G'win before the Elder council "It'll be my honor to become Bren'in of this clan"

Emelye stood "That's wonderful Foster" She said, stepping forward and taking his hands "You'll make your Morai proud."

"Thank you Cousin Em. I hope to make all my kin proud and bring us peace" Foster replied

"When would you like to do the coronation?" Emelye asked

"Today" he replied "We gotta to come up with a plan to protect the mountain. Blowing that damn is only gonna hold them for so long."

Turning to G'win, Emelye asked "You alright with that Bren'in?"

"Yes" G'win said "Foster is right - It's the right thing for the clan and there's no time to waste."

"Alright. We'll be ready at sunset." Emelye said, smiling

Shurn and Willem came forward

"I'll be proud to serve on your council Foster" Willem said "I know this wasn't a easy decision to make."

Before Foster could respond, Shurn added "Well I ain't sure how I feel about it, I just know we need to get things settled. To much turmoil and strife, I'm sick of fretting day in and day out."

"We all are Shurn" Foster said "I want nothing more than to bring peace back to the mountain.

"Wanting ain't having" Shurn replied "And what about your Fa? Ain't a peaceful bone in his body!"

"The Elders are here to offer you council" Emelye interrupted, eyeing Shurn "Why don't we all sit down and talk a spell?"

They circled the chairs and sat together. Willem started "Way I see it, we got a Outsider problem and a Insider problem. There's the Outsiders that want the coal and the law they got on there side. Then there's your Fa, who thinks he ought to be Bren'in and don't have no use for anybody that disagrees with that notion."

"Big Foster causes Chaos and Division, so much that folks forget he killed his own Ma and shot a man in front of all of us. Everything he does is against our ways and he tells us he is doing it for us." Emelye said. "He'll stand between us and whatever peace we can find with the Outsiders. I believe he's the demon that would destroy us"

"If he's the demon, then why would Elon lead him to that damn?" Shurn asked

"Elon was leading me." Foster explained "When I was in their prison, I had visions. I saw that place, and I drew it." He pulled the paper out of his pocket and passed it to Willem "I dreamed of it every night and Elon was always there until the water started flowing, then he was gone – just like that night."

Shurn took the picture "Do you think he's the demon?" She asked Foster

Foster shook his head "I don't know" he answered honestly.

G'win shared "He needs fear to feed the darkness in his soul, that means there is no peace with him among us. He'd destroy us rather than see peace or anybody else Bren'in."

"Foster wasn't always like this, something turned in him" Willem said "He wasn't never no saint, but he ain't just a jackass anymore. He killed his own Ma, Farrell killed a Farrell. That's the biggest sin against this mountain and our ways ever committed. It's his way or our ways, we gotta chose – cause the mountain don't want him here. If we choose him, she won't want us here neither."

Foster looked around the circle at each of his kin before locking eyes with G'win "I chose us" he said firmly. "We need to…."

He was interrupted by Cornbread's son, Tomas

"My Fa's back! And he got Cousin Hasil and a bunch of lowlanders with him!" The boy yelled

* * *

 

"I need to make the call" Arlene said, lookin over at Kat. "Anymore on that LLC?"

"Flip and Move LLC is registered in Rhode Island to a corporation based in the Caymans, WB Protection Services." Kat shared "That's as far as I've been able to get. There are a lot of layers here, it'll take some time."

"Okay, I'll put in a call to Tae with what we have." Arlene said

"Should you be making a call in your current state?" Kat asked

"My current…what are you talking about?" Arlene asked

"You're a little hung over from our bender….." Kat reminded her gently

Arlene rolled her eyes "It was champagne and juice, not jack and coke. I can't be hungover because I was never drunk. You, on the other hand…."

Kat giggled "I am a tiny bit tipsy…."

Arlene smiled "I won't tell Dru, your secrets safe with me"

"Ha! Dru fully supports occasional day time inebriation. YOU better hope Claire doesn't find out." Kat said with a laugh

Everyone knew that Claire was a tad bit overprotective of Kat. Arlene laughed and nodded in agreement. "Okay, making the call. Try to keep it down over there sloppy."

Arlene picked up her phone to dial Taeson Mann, a friend who works for the US Attorney in South Carolina. Kentucky wasn't in his jurisdiction, but she was hopeful he would take this information and get it in the right hands here in Kentucky. His secretary put her right through "Arlene Perez! What's good Chica?"

"Hey Tae! How are you?" Arlene said, genuinely happy to hear his voice. Tae was one of Arlenes first clients, he was 16 at the time. His college refused to allow his drama club to use the theatre for a drag show. He walked into the ACLU office and asked to speak with somebody who could help him sue the shit out of the university.

"Woeful and weary until you called and brightened my day! To what do I owe the pleasure?" Tae asked

"I need some help, so I thought I would call on my dear friend and the most brilliant prodigy in the entire US Department of Justice." Arlene said sweetly

"Ummm hmmmm…well I'm not wearing my cape today, but let's see if you can inspire me to put it on." Tae responded cautiously "What you got?"

* * *

 

Matt Meyers sat with he head in his hands a long time after Wade left, trying to slow the pounding in his chest. He eventually got up and closed the blinds, then returned to his desk and pulled out his flask. It burned going down his throat and through his chest, allowing him to clear his head.

No word from Don or Arnie, and now this. Could be Wade was just trying to get into his head. Matt was completely aware of Wade's suspicion of him – but what he suspects and what he can prove are two different things.

Picking up the phone, he sent Jon a text message. " _Anything new to share?_ " He put the phone down and waited for a response. He needed to come up with a plan to get himself out of town when the time came. If Don wasn't willing to give him the opportunity to make things right, then he needed to disappear for his own protection.

" _Sheriff here asked for the boss._ " Came the text response

" _Any idea why_?" Matt replied

" _Girls are saying its got something to do with that coal lady died here_ " Jon answered

" _Are you in a position to hear the conversation?_ " Matt asked

" _No now in office with door closed._ " Jon responded

Shit! His chest started to hurt…. " _Keep an eye out. Let me how long he's there and what you see when he comes out"_

Matt rolled his eyes at Jon's response " _another rush job_?"

" _Yes, I'll send same as last now_ " Matt responded

Matt got up to leave, he wasn't planning on being here when Wade returned.

* * *

 

As the caravan approached the Baile, Hasil felt his chest tighten with emotion. When he was in the back of Wade's truck – he'd wondered if he would ever see Sally Ann or his home again. Now he was here and Sally Ann was beside him. He hoped these folks could do what they said, it was the clans only chance for survival.

"So what can we expect here?" Dru asked

"The Elder Council is likely meeting right now." Stubby responded "We'll find em in that big barn you see yonder."

"Ain't no hiding, saw some kids keeping watch in the trees." Hasil said "Just drive right on up and stop in the square"

"Let me and Hasil talk to the Elders first then we can get ya'll aquatinted" Stubby advised

"Remember the protocols we agreed on Hasil" Dru reminded

"I'll stay in sight" Hasil promised, squeezing Sally Ann's hand "We'll just get everybody acquainted like Stubby said and then go on inside the barn and tell em why you're here."

"We need a location on Big Foster" Claire interjected "I don't want him surprising us."

"He got pretty deep in the jugs last night, I reckon he'll still be sleeping it off." Stubby said "Lil Foster has Zeke watching his place. Soon as Big Foster starts moving, he'll get word back."

A crowd was gathering as they made there way toward the square. Lil Foster and G'win were standing in front of the barn with Emelye, Willem, and Shurn. Dru estimated there were a least 70-80 people gathered around, but all keeping their distance for now.

Lil Foster came forward as Hasil and Stubby stepped out of the vehicle "Hasil! I wasn't sure we'd see you again!" Smiling broadly, he raised gripped Hasil's raised forearm and they touched foreheads in greeting. "You alright?"

"I'm on the mend." Hasil said "Sheriff took me to somewhere for help, but I ended up in the hospital. Good folks there saved my life."

"They didn't arrest you?" Lil Foster asked, surprised

"Nope, Damn broke so everything was washed away. They can't prove it was us up there." Hasil explained

G'win stepped forward "Hasil, who are all these people?"

"Ma'am" Hasil said, bowing "These folks are here to help. They help folks who've been wronged by the law stand up for there rights. I'll let em explain, but we got rights to this mountain and they can help get the coal company to leave us alone for good."

"How do you know they can help?" Emelye asked

"I've spent a fair bit of time with them now Cousin Em, I believe they can help." Hasil said

"Joy says they can stop the coal company, I believe her." Stubby added, turning he called "Come on up here Joy"

Joy came forward hesitantly. She and Emelye had been best friends, but 40 years was a long time.

"Hello Emie" Joyce said quietly

Emelye was shocked and stood frozen in place, remembering their tearful farewell. She took a deep breath and put her hand over her mouth and stared at Joyce. When her hand came down, there was a smile on her face and she opened her arms and walked forward. They embraced, holding each other tightly.

"Who is she?" Lil Foster asked

"Lady Ray's daughter, Foster Farrell VII" Hasil replied


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

 

Sitting in Herb's office, Wade finished up his text conversation with Matt Meyers and turned his attention to the reason for his visit.

"So what you got Herb?" Wade asked

Handing Wade an envelope, Herb responded "This came in the mail today for Ms. Grimes."

Wade accepted the envelope, it was from Reynolds Title in Nashville, TN. Opening the document, he found closing paperwork for the purchase of a home. 22 Booth Hill Road here in Blackburg. Haylie was listed as the purchaser, but not the title holder. Hasil Farrell and Sally Ann Lewis were listed as the title holders. As Wade continued to scan the document, he could see that is was signed and notarized here in Blackburg at Eastern Kentucky Title the day Haylie died. It noted a cashier's check for payment in full for the property was received. The signature of the seller, Janelle Busser, was 3 days later at Reynolds Title in Nashville according to the notarized date.

Why would she buy a house for the Farrell kid and his girl? "Thanks Herb, I'll take this and put it into evidence. You tell anybody else about this?"

"No sir" Herb replied "My secretary gets the mail and she brought it right in to me when she saw it."

"Alright, do me a favor and make sure she knows to keep it to herself." Wade advised.

"Will do, Wade." Herb agreed

Standing, Wade extended his hand "Appreciate it Herb, let me know if anything else shows up. Any chance you can hunt up a box for me?"

Back in his squad car, Wade sent Meyers a text. " ** _Sheriff just left"_**

The response came quickly " ** _Usual sent. Anything for me?"_**

Wade responded " ** _He walked out with a box, thanked the boss, tapped the box and said appreciate the lead"_**

Wade smiled as he started his car. Next stop, Eastern Kentucky Title.

* * *

 

Don Fushee was torn. He hated what Matt did to Haylie, and he was enraged by the stunt with the poison. This whole business with trying to flip that nature loving hippie reject to get the Feds down here was Matt's idea, and all One Planet got out of it was a natural disaster. He was further away from getting the coal then ever and now the EPA and FEMA were crawling up his ass.

Matt had to go; there was no question on that. What remained unsettled is just how gone he wanted him.

"It's open" he said, answering the knock at the door "Thanks for coming Arnie"

"No problem Mr. Fushee." Arnie answered

"Have a seat; can I get you a drink?" Don asked, rising to refill his glass

Arnie shook his head "No sir, thank you."

Don sat down across from Arnie "Lets talk about Matt Meyers. He needs to go, agreed?"

Arnie was relieved "Agreed."

"The question is how gone." Don said "How much of a liability is he if we let him walk away?"

Arnie let out a breath and took a moment before replying "Based on his recent behavior, if he believes you no longer support him, I believe he would be a significant liability. This Haylie thing has him spooked, and if they hook him for that – he'll flip on us."

Don nodded in agreement. "My thinking exactly. I'll leave the details to you. Just make sure I'm out of town before you move"

"Copy. I've been anticipating this, so I've done some preplanning." Arnie said standing "I'll reach out to Matt today and let him know you want to see him before you leave tomorrow. I'll be in touch in the morning."

Don extended his hand to Arnie "Appreciate you Arnie"

"My pleasure sir." Arnie responded, clasping Don's hand. To himself he thought "I've been waiting years to wipe the smirk of that smug SOB's face"

* * *

 

"That is quite a tale, Chica." Taeson said "What do you have in the way of evidence to substantiate this hot mess?"

When Tim's package arrived, it said the information came from a whistleblower from inside One Planet. Arlene was positive he was lying, but she couldn't prove it and didn't want to.

"We have documents provided by a whistleblower that will give you more than enough to get warrants for the Lt. Governor and One Planet." Arlene explained "We're also working on getting the cooperation of the mountain residents. We have a team up there now."

"Who is your whistleblower?" Tae asked

"Our source would like to remain anonymous" Arlene advised "But we're confident…."

"Arlene?" Tae interrupted "You know that is entirely impossible. In order to move forward with indictments we would need to know who the source is and corroborate the validity of the evidence"

"Alright, I'll circle back to my source. In the meantime, you don't need corroboration to review the documents." Arlene reminded him "Can I at least send you the package we've put together?"

"Yes, send it over. I'm in court this afternoon, but I'll look through it tonight" Tae promised

"Thank you Taeson!" Arlene exclaimed "You won't regret this."

"If even part of this is true, these people deserve justice" he said "This one is worth putting the cape on."

Hanging up, Arlene turned to Kat "Okay, he's agreed to review the file. We're in motion."

* * *

 

Erica and Teddy stayed out with the film crew, who was taping as the clan unloaded the supplies Joyce purchased and team hauled up the mountain.

The rest of the team moved into the barn with the Elders, G'win, Lil Foster, and Stubby.

Lil Foster spoke first "I knew my Fa had a sister, but I thought she….you…..died"

"I left to marry the man I loved. Fa gave me his blessing, but Ma…..she didn't want me to leave the mountain" Joyce explained

"Why are you back?" G'win asked

"After my husband passed, I felt the need to be close to home." Joyce said "I've been living in Blackburg for about 5 years now."

"Aintin Joyce said you would always be a daughter of this mountain." Emelye said "She said you'd come home someday, I wish she was here to see you."

"Townie livin ain't the same as coming home" Shurn pointed out "Why're you up here now?"

"I'm here to help. We all are." Joyce explained

"Cousin Joyce is a lawyer, and so is Ellis here" Hasil explained. "They studied the law to stand up for folks and make sure they law does right. Joyce kept the law off me and made em leave Sally Ann be while I was in the hospital."

"How does that help us?" Willem asked

"If I may?" Ellis said, stepping forward "I work for an organization called The ACLU. What we do is make sure people are treated fairly under the law and that there rights are respected. You have rights to this land and they way the coal company went about getting those rights away from you is wrong. The way the government favored the coal company is wrong. The way they tried to get you off the mountain is wrong – the eviction notice, the fence, the poison – all of it. The way Mr. Farrell was imprisoned is wrong. We would like to work with you to right those wrongs and ensure your rights are respected going forward."

"Why would you help us?" Li'l Foster asked. "What do you get out of this?"

"So long as we have enough people in this country willing to fight for their rights, we'll be called a democracy." Ellis quoted "Those are the words of our founder Roger Baldwin. The mission of the ACLU is to ensure the promise of the Bill of Rights and to expand its reach to people denied those rights and protections. Once the government has the power to violate even one person's rights, it can use that power against everyone. We work to stop the diminution of civil liberties wherever we can, for whomever we can, for the benefit of all citizens. Helping you helps every person in this nation."

"I know I've been gone for a long time now" Joyce added, pleading "But I hope you can trust that I wouldn't be here with them if I didn't believe they could help. I know the ACLU's work – this is what they do, they can help put things right. This fight can be won with them representing the clan in court."

Emelye looked around at her fellow council members and then turned to Ellis "Give us a moment please" as she put her arms up to usher the group outside

Once outside, Lil Foster started the conversation "Can we trust them?"

"I trust that Hasil wouldn't bring nobody to us who intended to cause harm" G'win said "I trust him."

"I know Joy has been gone for a long while" Emelye added "But I trust her, she is the best of both her Ma and her Fa."

"I do recall a time my Fa was after Lady Ray to give up The Oak, she said if her girl was here she would've gave it up." Li'l Foster shared "said when she lost her she lost all hope of a child of hers becoming Bren 'in."

"Even as a girl, folks looked to her." Stubby said "You could see she was capable, caring, and trustworthy. Foster V, Lady Ray, and Aintin Joyce thought the world of her."

Shurn shook her head "I don't like it, all these outsiders meddling in our affairs. They coulda come up on there own and explain."

"Shurn, we're gonna need outsiders to help up in this fight – we can't do this on our own" G'win reminded

"We been talking about finding a path to peace, and they're offering one up" Willem said "Let's at least hear what they got planned"

"Cousin Willem is right" Lil Foster declared "We need to hear what they got to planned before make a judgement." He took G'win by the hand, and turned to lead the group back into the barn.

* * *

 

After leaving the hotel, Wade went directly to Eastern Kentucky Title. He was hoping to gain some insight as to why Haylie would buy a house for Hasil and Sally Ann. He walked in and was greeting by Loretta Sue Tate, the owner and sole employee.

"Hello Wade!" She greeted "What a nice surprise!"

Wade vowed to exercise patience, if he was gonna get any information from this woman, he needed to tolerate the fact that she talked like she was leading her squad as head cheerleader at Blackburg High School (Class of 1975).

"Hey Ms. Loretta Sue." Wade answered "How you doin today?"

"I am fine!" She replied "How are you?! And Ledda?! And the kids?!"

"Everybody's good, thank you" Wade said, continuing quickly "Ma'am I need to ask you a couple questions about Haylie Grimes."

"What a tragedy!" She exclaimed "You know I saw her that day! Saw her and never would have guessed in a million years that she would do something like that!"

"She closed on a house with you?" Wade asked

"She did!" Loretta Sue replied "At least her part, I notarized her signature and sent it on to the seller! She was here with her secretary Mary Beth Cooper! I mostly dealt with Mary Beth until it came time to close!"

Wade's ears were ringing; he needed to wrap this up. "Anything unusual about the closing?"

"Well I will tell you I was shocked when she gave me the names for the deed! A girl in town and one of the Farrell's?! And I tell you who else what shocked, was that Mary Beth! She tried to say something about it, and Ms. Grimes told her she would explain later – but they were owed the property!"

"You wouldn't happen to have a number for this secretary?" Wade asked

"I do! Let me get it for you!" She exclaimed

Wade accepted the number from her "Thank you kindly ma'am, I better get going."

"You're so welcome Wade!" Loretta Sue enthused, "Always glad to help the law! You take care!"

Wade nodded and hurried out the door. It was a wonder she was able to keep the glass in the windows intact at that volume. He reached for his phone to dial Mary Beth Cooper as soon as he was seated in his car.

A woman picked up on the 3rd ring "Hello?"

"I'm looking for Mary Beth Cooper, this is Wade Houghton, and I'm with the…." he replied

"I know who you are Sheriff. Haylie told me you'd call. How soon can we meet? We need to be discreet" Mary Beth replied

* * *

 

Matt looked down at his phone, and his heart started racing. It was Arnie Wilkes

"Matt Meyers here" he answered

"It's Wilkes. I'm reaching out on behalf of Mr. Fushee. He wants to see you tomorrow." Arnie advised

"About?" Matt asked

"Well, against my advise – he seems to think your business relationship is worth salvaging" Arnie said. "He wants to discuss our next move."

Matt immediately felt the weight of the world lift from his shoulders "That's outstanding! Don will not regret this."

"He'd better not" Arnie warned "Because I guarantee you will regret it more if it comes to that."

"I read you loud and clear Arnie" Matt said solemnly "I will not disappoint either of you."

"Good." He responded "In the meantime, lay low – don't do anything else stupid. I'll call you with the time in the morning. Should be a late afternoon or early evening meeting. Make sure your calendar is clear from 3PM on." Arnie abruptly disconnected.

Matt was giddy as he said to himself "Screw you Wade Houghton! I'm back in and I'm coming for you!"

* * *

 

Arlene needed to talk to Tim. She'd sent the file over to Taeson, and she was sure he would bite. But he would want a source. She had no phone number for him and the email account he gave her was returned as invalid.

"This shit is so unbelievably old." She said, weary of his games. "How are we supposed to help these people if I have one hand tied behind behind my back?"

"I've seen your magic up close; you've handled tougher cases with both hands tied." Kat reminded "We'll figure out a way to get the information admitted. Or a miracle will fall into our laps, either way – we will succeed because we have too."

"A miracle will fall into our laps? Are you still drunk?" Arlene asked

"No! Well…..maybe….probably a little bit, but that doesn't take away from my uplifting and encouraging message!" Kat declared

"You know, you're an even bigger dork when you're drunk." Arlene said flatly "If I relied on miracles….."

They were interrupted by a knock on the door. Checking the peephole, Arlene could see it was Jimbo from the Louisville security team.

Opening the door, she greeted "Hey Jimbo" stepping aside to let him in

Jimbo was grinning ear to ear "You aren't going to believe this. We received an anonymous email from someone who claims to work for the Lt. Governor. This person wants to talk about his dealings with One Planet in exchange for Whistleblower protection." Jimbo explained. "We are trying to set a meeting."

Arlene was speechless.

Kat grinned and said aloud. "Alexa, what is a miracle?"

Alexa replied " _a highly improbable or extraordinary event, development, or accomplishment that brings very welcome consequences."_

* * *

 

When the group returned to hear the proposal, Joyce and Ellis walked through the evidence they'd found and shared the belief that it could be used to get the mining rights revoked and allow the clan to stake a claim to the mountain. They also could force One Planet to repair the damage caused by the poison and replace what was lost. Regarding Lil Foster – he explained with the evidence of what happened in the prison, they strongly believed they could get that case closed as self defense. Due to Government misconduct, they should be able to negotiate a pardon for the escape.

"And what do we have to do?" Li'l Foster asked

"First and foremost, share your story. We bought a news crew with us to film your people, your homes, and the damage done." Ellis explained "We have to put human faces to your story"

"We agree with that" G'win said "I always thought doing that would help our cause"

"And you need to banish my brother" Joyce said. "I know he killed Ma, he killed 3 other folks down the hill, and he killed Ledda's husband right before your eyes." She explained, nodding toward Ledda. "You can't allow him to stay among you – you'll have no credibility with the law if you allow a murderer to roam free."

"We can only call him to account for what he done here" Willem said "And he already faced a circle for killing Lady Ray."

"We can't banish him without a circle and we got no cause to call another" Stubby said

"We don't" G'win said "But Ledda does, he killed her husband. She can call a circle"

"She ain't one of us!" Shurn shouted "Outsiders can't call a circle!"

"It's been done before" Emelye said "You recall when Noah Shay bothered that gal and her Fa came up looking for him? Foster V let him call a circle, heard him, and held Noah to account."

"Do you think you can do that Ledda?" Joyce asked "A circle is like being in court, you lay out his crimes and he gets to defend himself. Then the Bren 'in confers with the council and decides what to do. I will help you; you're allowed to have someone stand with you"

Ledda nodded, unable to find her voice. She would to it for Breece, and for her girls.

Joyce squeezed Ledda's hand and smiled in assurance.

"We can call him out after my coronation tonight." Li'l Foster said

"About that…the 3rd thing we need is to have the Bren 'in represent the Clan in town. If you're a fugitive, you can't come to town." Ellis said "Can we put off the coronation?"

Before Li'l Foster could answer, G'win exclaimed "No! I came by the Oak in an impure manner, if we are gonna start this road to peace of with purity, and we must – I can't be Bren 'in."

"And I don't particularly want anybody off this mountain til we know you can really do all these things" Lil Foster said "Anything does wrong and they'll put one of us behind bars."

"I can speak for the Clan, and Hasil can ensure I get the message right and help with any questions that come up" Joyce offered

"A big part of getting public support is your clan's story. It's pretty important that the person speaking for the clan is Bren 'in." Ellis explained, turning to G'win "Is there no way you can stay Bren 'in for just a few more weeks?"

"No. We've tainted this mountain enough; we're done justifying and allowing wrongs to go on" G'win said firmly "Lil Foster will become Bren 'in tonight."

"Can't they both be Bren 'in?" Sally Ann asked "Lil Foster and Joyce?"

Everyone turned to stare at her and she felt her cheeks warming.

"That's been done before too" Stubby said, breaking the silence. "During the war between the states, we had soldiers coming from all sides. The Bren 'in named a few men Legate Bren'ins so they could command a post and defend it as they saw fit. After the war was over, the Legate Bren'ins joined the Elder Council"

Hasil leaned over and kissed Sally Ann's cheek, whispering in her ear "Smarty pants"

"Is that a workable solution?" Ellis asked

"I trust Joy" Emelye declared

"So do I" Said Stubby

Willem was whispering to a clearly agitated Shurn. "I know Lady Ray loved you" she said, "and I loved her, so I'm gonna trust you"

Willem smiled and said "Your daddy and your Morai would've been proud that you come back in our time of need. I trust you."

Lil Foster looked down a G'Win, and turned to Ellis and Joyce "We'll put our trust in you Aintin Joy. After my coronation and the circle, we will share the plan with the clan and I will name you Legate Bren 'in."

Tears spilling from her eyes, Joyce stepped forward to touch foreheads and lock arms with each to thank them for there confidence in her.

Everyone turned at the sound of loud voices. Big Foster pushed his way into the barn "What the hell is going on here?!"

 


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Everyone turned at the sound of loud voices. Big Foster pushed his way into the barn "What the hell is going on here?!"

Dru's team immediately shifted into protective positions. He gripped Sally Ann's arm and moved her back in case they needed to make a quick exit. Claire moved close to Hasil and Ellis positioned himself near Joyce.

"We have visitors who came to see the Elders" Emelye answered

"So we're letting losties roam around and come and go as they please now?" Big Foster asked

Hasil stepped forward "I brought em up"

Shocked, Big Foster turned "Hasil?" He let out a laugh as he moved toward him, arms extended. "Hasil boy! I thought sure you was a goner!"

Hasil put his hand up to stop block Big Fosters embrace "I'm here, thanks to the Sheriff and these folks keeping the rest of the law off me."

Rejected by Hasil, Big Foster stood awkwardly with his hands on his hips. "Well, we are grateful you made it home. But that don't mean we want a bunch of losties….."

Hasil interrupted, forcefully stating "They're friends and family….."

"Family?!" Big Foster said, looking around "Well I see you brought your girl, but the rest of these…"His eyes landed on Joyce and he stopped, staring in disbelief. "Deirfiúr?" (Sister) he asked in old tongue "Joy?"

"It's me Foster" Joyce answered quietly

Overcome with emotion, he stared silently for a moment. Then shaking his head, he slowly moved toward Joyce. Claire shadowed silently, ready to intervene. He stopped in front of Joyce and they locked eyes. As Big Foster started to speak, Joyce raised her hand and delivered a vicious slap to his face.

Big Foster rubbed his Jaw, and started to speak again "I…." Clearly enraged, Joyce cut him off with another blow. And another….

___________

Now that Arnie put Matt Meyer's mind at ease, he needed to spook him. He wanted to get him off balance in hopes that it would show in his behavior. When things were all said and done, he wanted people saying "Something didn't seem right"

He should be in a FEMA meeting now with a full audience. From a burner phone, he sent him a link to an article covering Bill Johnson's unfortunate demise. He added a message "First Haylie, now Bill. You're a busy boy"

Arnie smiled, most fun he'd had all year!

____________

Joshua McInnis was a nervous wreck. He grew up in a politically active family of public servants; he never imagined he would be in this position. But he couldn't stop thinking and dreaming about that kid they pulled out of that Greenpoint mine disaster. He knew Matt Meyers was behind that and more importantly so did the Lt. Governor - and he didn't care. Becoming a whistleblower meant he could kiss his political career goodbye, but somebody had to do the right thing.

Staring at the response to his email, he knew he was reaching the point of no return.

The ACLU response read "Thank you, we understand the courage it takes to come forward in these types of situations. Would you be willing to meet with our team in person?"

Josh took a deep breath and typed his response. "Yes, but we need to exercise discretion"  
______________

Mary Beth agreed to meet Wade at the hospital. It was a place where both could be seen without suspicion. Peggy found an empty office for them to use.

Wade shook Mary Beth's hand "Appreciate you meeting me Ms. Cooper"

"Well it's the least I can do for Haylie. It's been nerve wracking waiting for you to call." She replied

"On the phone you said Haylie told you I'd call?" Wade asked

"Yes. On the day she died, she was really spooked. She was trying to get those samples checked and nobody would test them. Then Matt Meyers showed up at her hotel room out of the blue and told her to leave town" Mary Beth paused, remembering her last day with Haylie "She was scared."

"You saw her that day?" Wade asked "Went with her to close on a house?"

"Yes, I called her at 1pm to remind her of the appointment – she picked me up and we rode together. I'd handled most of the details on the purchase, she just needed to designate the title holder and sign" Mary Beth explained "I was shocked when she titled it in the Farrell boy's name."

Wade started taking notes "Who was the house for originally?"

Mary Beth sighed "She only bought it to use as either a carrot or a stick for Hasil – she followed him there and he was squatting in the house with a girl. She used her own money and planned to title it in her name. One Planet would have bought it from Haylie under her relocation package when she transferred out of Blackburg."

"So what happened that day?" Wade asked "Start at the beginning."

"Haylie called me around 7am and said she was planning to work from her hotel room that day. She asked me to get her a list of facilities she could call to get soil and water samples tested. I emailed her 4 different places. She called me back about 10AM and said she needed more locations to call, she sounded really frustrated. I called her about 1pm to remind her we had the closing at 2pm. She sounded upset, and I asked her is if I should reschedule. She said she was fine and she would swing by to pick me up." Mary Beth took a deep breath and paused, trying to keep her composure

"It's okay" Wade assured her "Take your time."

"I'm sorry" she responded "This is all just so…"

"Were ya'll close?" Wade asked

"We worked together for a long time" Mary Beth explained "I trusted her and she was good to me. She had a shitty job and she was good at it. But she could be kind and she didn't deserve this."

"I'll do my best get the people who did this" Wade promised

Mary Beth nodded and continued "So when Loretta asked who the title holder would be she gave Hasil and his girlfriends names. When I tried to say something, she just said they were owed the property and that we would review the details later. Then when we got back to the car, she said would explain when we got back to the office."

Mary Beth opened her bag and pulled out her laptop.

"What's all this?" Wade asked

"Haylie had a camera in her office. She recorded things she felt were important, and that includes our last conversation in her office" Mary Beth explained "Which is perfectly legal in Kentucky as long as one party of the conversation is aware."

Mary Beth inserted a Zip drive and started the video. It showed Haylie sitting at her desk and Mary Beth sitting across from her

Haylie: We haven't really talked about where I was, and I know you're curious about what happened at the title office.

Mary Beth: Are you alright? These things are out of character for you.

Haylie: You remember that activist that came here to see me?

Mary Beth: Who could forget him, he was a cutie pie!

Haylie: He was, and I ended up sleeping with him.

Mary Beth: What?! Haylie!

Haylie: I know, I know. We talked and screwed and talked and screwed some more. He told me that One Planet had poisoned the water and soil up on the mountain. It's the exact stunt Matt Meyers was suspected of pulling years ago in West Virginia. I let him have access to my computer. I gave him that information that was leaked to the press.

Mary Beth: Haylie, why….

Haylie: Let me finish. I ended up going up the mountain with him, and we got into a big fight and I took off. The Farrells found me and I saw it first hand – it's all true. I took pictures and I have samples of the soil and water. A child has died, Mary Beth, murdered.

Mary Beth: What can you do? How can you prove it's Matt Meyers?

Haylie: If I can get those samples tested I am betting whatever it is will be identical to what was found in that soil in West Virginia. But Matt is blocking me, I called 7 labs trying to get them tested – they all said they couldn't take on any more business."

Mary Beth: Haylie you have to be careful

Haylie: I know, Matt Meyers is scared. He forced his way into my hotel room and tried to get me to leave town. When I said he wouldn't, he got really angry.

Mary Beth: You should just leave town, you know what happens to people who go up against One Planet. You have a child of your own, just walk away.

Haylie: You didn't see what I saw Mary Beth. I can't. Somebody has to fight for these people. My job was to get them off the mountain. They don't deserve to be starved out nor have their children murdered. I'm not going anywhere. I'm taking Matt Meyers down.

Mary Beth: That kind of talk is dangerous Haylie

Haylie: I've done things I'm not proud of. I bought that house to make life harder for that Farrell boy if he didn't do what I wanted. And that was after I got some boys drunk enough to beat him up. I feel my soul getting a little smaller, my heart getting harder every time I do one of these jobs. But this, if I let this happen there'll be nothing left of either. I'm gonna stop him. And you know what? I feel good Mary Beth, better than I have in very a long time.

Mary Beth: Is there anything I can do to help?

Haylie: I appreciate the offer, but this is my fight. You deserved to know what's going. I think you should take some leave; you have plenty of time on the books – why don't you take a few weeks off.

Mary Beth: I'm not going anywhere Haylie; we've been a team for 6 years now. My job is to support you, no matter what your job is at the moment. I'll get you some lemon water and start researching some labs out of state.

Haylie: Thank you Mary Beth

As Mary Beth stood to leave the office the recording stopped.

Wade sat in stunned silence.

With tears in her eyes, Mary Beth continued "She stopped me before I left the office and told me about the camera. She said if she wasn't at work by 7am the next day I should take the camera for safe keeping. And if anything happened to her, I should hold on to it until you contacted me – she insisted you were the only one I should trust with this information. She said it might take awhile, but that you'd contact me and make sure I was protected."

Wade nodded "Have you told anybody else about this?"

"Nobody, I'm terrified. They killed her Sheriff." She replied through tears "What do we do?"

"The ACLU is putting a case together to take to the Feds. We need to get this to them. Is there anything else on it?" Wade asked

"I only watched the last video, but there are several files dated over a 6 month period" Mary Beth responded

Wade shook his head, that Haylie was something else "Can you take leave without raising suspicions?"

Mary Beth nodded "I think so. Everybody knows Haylie and I worked together for a long time, HR has asked a couple times if I'd like to take some time."

"I'll take this and get it to the ACLU. You take your leave starting tomorrow, act like you have a flight out of Louisville and head that way." Wade advised "We'll have you meet up with ACLU team there."

"Are you sure we can do this?" Mary Beth asked

Wade promised "We're gonna finish what Haylie started."  
_____________

Matt Meyers casually glanced down at his phone and saw a text from an unknown number. "First Haylie, now Bill. You're a busy boy"

His face lost all color as he clicked on the link in the message. "Police suspect Homicide in early morning car explosion"

Matt stood abruptly, spilling his coffee across the table and disrupting the speaker. All eyes turned to him.

"Everything okay Matt?" The FEMA official leading the meeting asked "Matt?"

Matt stared at him blankly, trying to force himself to respond. Without saying a word, he picked up his bag and turned to walk out. He could hear his name being called, but he focused on getting out of the building. He didn't stop moving until he was seating in his car.

His head in his hands, Matt thought to himself "What the hell? Who sent this? How did they tie him to Bill? Who killed Bill? How did they know about Haylie?"

Shit! Shit, shit shit! If Don or Arnie got wind of this, I'm a dead man.

"Thanks Wade, talk to you soon" Arlene said and hung the phone.

"What?" Kat asked

"Haylie Grime's secretary gave Wade a Zip drive with a bunch of recorded conversations on it" Arlene answered "She admits to giving Tim information on it"

"That's great! We have our whistleblower name to give Taeson." Kat paused, noticing Arlene's lack of enthusiasm "It is great news, isn't it?"

Arlene shrugged "Yes, I mean – it's crucial to our case to prove the information was obtained legally."

"So why do you look like someone just….." Kat started

"Slept with my ex-boyfriend? Who I haven't seen in 7 years?" Arlene sighed "He manipulated her, just like he's been manipulating me all these years."

"Don't do this to yourself Arlene" Kat said quietly "You've done good things with the information Tim feeds you."

"But at what cost to me?" She asked "I'm an emotional hostage, stuck in my last year of law school. I'll see this through but after this job I'm done."

"Finally!" Kat exclaimed

Arlene was shocked "Finally? Seriously?"

"Look, I know you care for him" Kat explained "but he is ridiculously intense and smug….and smarmy….and a lil bit creepy…..and…."

"Okay!" Arlene "I get it. Why haven't you shared this before?"

"Because you would have kicked my ass before. You've been a lot of things when it comes to Tim, but never before today have you been done." Kat explained "And I can tell you mean it."

"I do" Arlene said quietly "Last job. I'm glad it's a big one; we're helping a lot of people. The secretary is coming to Louisville tomorrow and we have a meeting with the source in the LT. Governors office tonight."

"I thought we were getting the boring part of the gig staying down here" Kat said "This has got to top what's going on up on the mountain. Should we call Tae?"

"No, he'll call after he reviews the file." Arlene said, reaching for the room phone "I think its time for another Mimosa break"

_____________

Big Foster grabbed Joyce's arm after the fourth blow "You got no right….." He started angrily

"You murdered our mother!" Joyce shouted, inches from his face

"You killed her first, her heart turned to stone the day you left!" Big Foster growled "I spent the last 40 years knowing she wished it was me that left."

"We both know she started wishing you'd left long before that" Joyce spat, unafraid "Morai was right about you!"

"Them old women didn't know nothing and neither do you!" He responded, clearly shaken by her comment

"I know the devil when I see him. Let me go" Joyce demanded.

Big Foster tightened his grip on her arm and pulled her closer to him "Why'd you come back?"

"Let me go" Joyce said, pulling her away

Claire moved in, snapping her wrist to open her telescoping baton. She swung and connected with the front of Big Fosters shin, causing him to lock up in pain and release Joyce. Ellis quickly grabbed Joyce and pulled her out of the way. Claire followed through and quickly locked Big Fosters arm behind his back, forcing him face down on the ground, resting her knee on his neck.

Dru grinned as everyone stared at Claire. She had him down and secure while the rest of them were thinking about how to do it.

Claire looked up at the crowd staring at her "Somebody want to disarm him?"

Leaving Joyce with Ledda, Ellis stepped forward to disarm Big Foster who was struggling in vain to break Claire's hold. Claire leaned forward to whisper to him "I could have broken your arm, but I'm showing restraint in the interest of peace. If you put your hands on Joyce again, I'll break your damn neck." Claire stood and backed away once Ellis was clear

Big Foster slowly rose, all eyes on him. He looked around, clearly angry and embarrassed. His eyes landed on Lil Foster, who was now holding his gun. "You gonna allow this as Bren'in? Outsiders and Losties attacking your family?"

"What's she talking about?" Lil Foster asked

"Ain't none of your business." Big Foster replied, moving toward him "I'll take my gun back and be on my way. I ain't gonna be a party to the ruin of this family."

Stubby stepped into his path "You ain't getting that gun back Foster. You go ahead on and leave the council to its business."

As Runt and Claire moved to flank Stubby, Big Foster stopped. He backed away, staring daggers around the room. "This will not stand" he warned and left the barn.

Lil Foster stepped forward "You alright ma'am?" He asked Joyce

"I'll be fine dear" She replied "I'm sorry I made a scene"

"You got no reason to be sorry" Lil Foster responded "It's not an easy thing we're doing here. What was that about Lady Ray….."

Joyce interrupted "Its not something I want to discuss right now. I just…..need some time."

Stubby stepped forward "Why don't ya'll come on up and stay with me till we come back for the coronation. Your camera folks can come too. I'd rather be where we can see Foster coming." He walked over to Joyce, who was still visibly upset, and put his arm around her. "C'mon Joy, a lil bit of Farrell Wine will calm your nerves."  
____________

The ACLU team pulled into the Shay Cousins Baile (Village) to await the Coronation. Much like the Farrell Baile, there was a square with a barn at the center surrounded by busy community work areas.

A quick meeting decided Joyce, Ledda, and Ellis would stay at Stubby's place with him. Runt would stay with Erica, Teddy, and the news crew as they moved around the different villages. Dru would stay with Hasil and Sally Ann at his place, and Claire would keep watch with Stubby's son Tiny.

Hasil held Sally Ann's hand as they walked toward his place. Looking around, Sally Ann asked "Is this the same place we stay last time I came up?"

Hasil shook his head "No, this was my folks place. I stayed here off and on when I got old enough to fend for myself."

They climbed the steps and Hasil ushered her in to the cabin, while Dru and Claire circled to check the perimeter.

Sally Ann looked around the modest 2 room cabin; it was clean and well kept. There was a kitchen area with a table and chairs and a small sitting area.

"Stubby's wife Millie was real close to my Ma, she keeps the place up" Hasil explained

"I like it" Sally Ann said "It's cozy"

"She's been keeping it just like my folks left it" Hasil explained "She hoped I'd live here when I had a family."

Sally Ann walked over to a rocking chair by the window "It feels warm" she said running her hand over the quilt draped over the back. "You can tell love lived here."

"My Fa built it" he said "He never came back here after she passed."

They were interrupted by a knock on the door. "Hasil?"

Hasil opened the door to greet Millie "Hey Cousin Millie" he said, making room for her to step inside.

Millie wrapped her arms around Hasil and exclaimed "Lord child, I'm so glad to see you! When I heard you was shot, my heart just broke to pieces!"

"I'm fine Cousin Millie, I'm sorry to worry you." Hasil responded, returning her hug

Millie pulled back and took Hasil's face in her hands "You look well, I see light behind your eyes. You stay away from that dipshit Big Foster, you here?"

Hasil smiled "Yes ma'am. I'd like you to meet my girl" Hasil held out his hand to Sally Ann. "This is Sally Ann Lewis. Sally Ann, this is my cousin Millie Shay."

Sally Ann smiled "Nice to meet you Mrs. Shay"

Millie smiled at Sally Ann "My, you're a beauty!" Moving in for hug, she felt the baby bump hidden under her sweatshirt and gasped. "Is that?"

Hasil smiled "Yes'm, we're having a baby"

"That's why you're all lit up!" Millie exclaimed "How are you feeling Sally Ann?"

"I'm good ma'am." Sally Ann answered "Declan is behaving, so the trip up wasn't bad"

"Declan?" Millie asked

"We're having a boy, we plan to name him Declan after Hasil's father" She explained

Millie put her hand over her heart "Oh Hasil, your Ma would be so proud!"

"Thank you Cousin, we're real excited" Hasil shared, putting his arm around Sally Ann

"We are gonna bless this child" Millie declared

Hasil was suddenly apprehensive "I don't know ma'am, Sally Ann ain't from here. Folks might not…."

"Hush, she's carrying a Farrell child. You let somebody try and tell me I can't bless this baby." Millie admonished "The world is getting smaller; if we're to survive we need to welcome some change. And we need all our kin; we can't be shunning our own folks who live an honest life."

They were interrupted by Dru knocking and stepping in "Got the lay of the land…I'm sorry, didn't mean to interrupt"

Hasil made the introductions "Dru this is my Cousin Millie"

Dru extended his hand "Pleasure to meet you ma'am"

"How do" Millie said "Appreciate you bringing this one home"

Dru smiled "It's more like he brought us, but we're glad to be here"

"Well I'll let ya'll get settled. Sally Ann, Hasil - We'll see ya'll for dinner?" Millie asked Hasil

"Yes'm" Hasil answered and Sally Ann nodded in agreement

After Millie left, Dru asked "Won't we be at the coronation at dinner time?"

"Up here dinner is lunch and supper is dinner" Hasil said

"Gotcha." Dru responded "Why don't you two get some rest? I'll check in with Arlene and Kat to see what's going on with them. After dinner you can fill me in on what to expect at coronation and circle"

Hasil nodded, accepting the bag Sally Ann had packed from Dru "Alright, wake us in about 2 hours?"

"Will do!" Dru said, moving to the table to set up for work

Hasil placed his hand on the small of Sally Ann's back and guided her toward the back of the cabin. They went through a door into a bedroom. There was a skylight and just enough space for a full size bed and table.

Sally Ann sat on bed "You should take your meds and let me look at your bandage" She said, reaching for the bag

Hasil sat down next to Sally Ann and started to take off his boots "Not the stuff for pain, it slows my thinking"

"Well at least take some Advil" She handed him a bottle of water and his antibiotics and Advil.

"Thank you Darlin" he said, reaching out to rub her knee

Sally Ann started taking off her own shoes "You're welcome Babe. So Cousin Millie seems nice."

Hasil smiled, taking off his kilt and laying down "Yeah, she's one of the few that ain't crazy. C'mere" he said, patting the bed

Sally Ann curled up next to Hasil, resting her head on his shoulder. "Did you live with them?"

"When I was young, I mostly lived in the other village. I got into some trouble and came up here when I was about 13 summers." Hasil explained "I stayed with them the longest stretch, till I was about 17"

"What kind of trouble can you get into up here?" She asked

"They say where there's a will there's a way" Hasil responded, kissing her forehead "And I had a pretty strong will. Stubby and Millie were good to me, and the boys and me got on real well"

Sally Ann smiled, imaging young Hasil trying but failing to say out of trouble "Why'd you move back to the other village?"

"It was time for me to start learning a trade" he replied "My Fa was a carpenter, so I took up the same trade. My cousin Krake took me as his apprentice, he makes the Farrell Wine too – so I learned how to do both."

"You can make wine?" Sally Ann asked "I should have a glass; they say its okay to have one or two or week when you're pregnant"

Hasil laughed "It ain't that kinda wine! Its moonshine, so it might not…."

"Yeah, never mind!" She interrupted with a smile "That's one Farrell tradition I'll skip. What's this blessing that Millie was talking about?"

"I don't know a whole lot about it, but they make Shay Rose water during the blessing and you keep some for the Baby's first bath." Hasil turned to face her "You ain't gotta do it if you don't want to. I'll get her to tell us all about it beforehand"

Sally Ann leaned forward to kiss Hasil "It sounds sweet, I'm sure it'll be fine. Are you nervous about tonight?"

Hasil nodded "Mostly tomorrow. Coronation will be tonight, but the day after coronation is when the new Bren'in calls First Circle. First time they call Circle as Bren'in and go through anything that ain't been settled and then anything new can be brought to him. That's when Ms. Ledda will have to call out Big Foster."

"What do you think's gonna happen?" She asked

"I don't know. Circles are rowdy and rough as it is, so having a outsider calling out Big….its gotta be done, but its gonna be tough."

"If he gets out of hand just sick Claire on him." Sally Ann said, trying to lighten the mood

"That was something, wasn't it?" Hasil grinned "but tomorrow there'll be a lot more folks there and some of them might be on his side. Hopefully most folks will side with Lil Foster and want peace"

Sally Ann wrapped her arms around Hasil "Let's just try to get some rest for right now and you can talk it through with Dru and Joyce this afternoon. I'm sure you guys can come up with a plan"

Hasil lay back and pulled her close, willing himself to relax "I love you" he said, kissing the top of her head.

Sally Ann yawned "I love you too Hasil Farrell. Everything's gonna be fine, I can feel it."


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Sorry its been so long without a post, life got in the way of art. Hope to do better with Chapter 30. For the Sasil shippers, check out my other story - Deleted Scenes, it helps me with inspiration!

Chapter 29

Claire and Dru sat on the porch of Hasil's parent's cabin, waiting for Arlene to connect them for a 3 way call with Wade for an update.

"Still there?" Arlene asked

"We're here" replied Dru

"Okay, you're on speaker, Kat is here with me and we've got Wade on the line" Arlene said "You're up to speed on what we have, so why don't you share what's going on up there and then we can talk strategy"

Dru walked them through there arrival and subsequent meeting with the elders. "The film crew is out interviewing members of the clan now and they'll get more water and soil samples to test. Coronation is tonight and then tomorrow is the circle"

"What happens at circle?" Asked Kat

Claire put her hand and stood to check to ensure there wasn't anyone eavesdropping on the call, she nodded to Dru who answered "Ledda is going to call Big Foster out for murdering her husband."

"What the hell?!" Wade stuttered – shocked "No! That Son of a Bitch's killed at least 5 people we know of, you can't…"

Dru interrupted his tirade "Look Wade – we will keep her safe. We have help from several members of the clan. They want him gone, but since they already let him off for his mother – they need someone else to call him out."

"And Ledda is alright with this?" Wade asked

"She's nervous" Claire said "But she wants to do it for Breece."

"I wanna talk to her" Wade declared

"She's resting right now; everyone was pretty beat after the trip up." Dru explained "You can talk to her at the next check-in. How about we call about 1730?"

"Okay" Wade exhaled "You know she's got two girls, right? Who just lost there daddy and came close to losing her before her cancer went into remission….."

"What?" Claire exclaimed "Ledda has Cancer?"

"She's in remission, but yeah – she does" Wade voice was tight "She's all that's holding my family together, we need her back."

"We've got her Wade, we'll get her home." Dru promised, looking over at Claire.

Claire rolled her eyes and added "You have your hands full down there; we'll take care of Ledda. We'll get her back to her girls."

"Alright" Arlene interrupted "So we're in pretty good shape – we have solid evidence against the Coal Company and state. We have two insiders and hopefully they will be willing to testify. What's outstanding right now is proving the two murders and getting justice for Breece and Haylie"

"We know who killed Breece; we just gotta get our hands on him." Wade said "I got the murder weapon and Foster Farrell VIII gave me statement he witnessed Foster Farrell VI kill him"

"Without a confession, we need witnesses to testify in court" Kat said "A statement from a fugitive of the state won't cut it."

"Dru, do you think anyone would testify?" Arlene asked

"To early to tell, but we'll add securing a witness to our list of things to do." He answered

"So that leaves Haylie" Claire said "Wade you want to poke the bear? Maybe get a search warrant and bring him in for questioning?

"He seems spooked." Wade answered "I can throw some stuff out there, see if I can get him rattled."

"We'll circle back tonight at 1730, then again after coronation" Dru said "I feel like we have a pretty good plan, but everyone needs to stay sharp."

After they hung up, Claire turned to Dru "So we have a gun shot victim, a pregnant woman, and a cancer patient?" She asked sarcastically "Just what kind of operation are you running here?"

"Why is it my operation when things are weird or going wrong?" Dru asked

Claire smiled "I've asked that question many times with no clear answer. Aren't you supposed to be waking up two of our patients for lunch?"

Dru gave her the side eye, before standing and heading into the cabin. He almost immediately returned to the porch. "Ohhhkay! Pretty sure they're already awake!"

Claire looked at him and the blush coupled with his tone said it all, she grinned"Ohhhh….Ha! Look, it's understandable, they're already pregnant and there isn't much else to do…but did it sound like they were almost done? Because I'm starving"

Dru sat down and put his head in his hands "Shut your pie hole Johnston"  
__________________________________________

Sally Ann struggled to control her breathing as she raised her head to watch Hasil kiss his way up her body. As she started to speak, he stole her words with a sweet kiss and she could taste herself on his tongue. This damn man…

Moving to lay next to Sally Ann, Hasil grinned and whispered "You ready to get up now?"

Sally Ann turned to lay her head on his chest "I'm pretty sure my legs won't work, so no.….." she said with a sleepy smile

Hasil kissed the top of her head "Tell ya what, you rest a bit longer. I'll fetch some water so you can get cleaned up then we'll go call on Cousin Millie. Alright?"

Sally Ann nodded and yawned, more than half asleep already. Hasil eased her head onto a pillow and stood to get dressed. He picked up the quilt on the floor and covered her, leaning in to kiss her cheek. He grabbed a wash cloth and bottle of water from Sally Ann's bag. He drank more than ½ the bottle than poured the rest into a wash bowl and quickly cleaned up.

Heading outside, Hasil found Claire and Dru out on the porch. "Hey" he greeted

"Hey" Dru responded "Where's Sally Ann?"

"She's gonna rest a lil bit longer." Hasil explained "I'm gonna get some warm water so we can clean up before dinner"

"Pregnancy is so tiring!" Claire declared with faux seriousness

"Claire can go with you, I'll hang here. How far are you going?" Dru asked, giving Claire a warning look

"Just over yonder to Millie and Stubby's place" Hasil said, pointing at a cabin across the square.

Looking straight ahead as they walked across the square, Hasil asked "Could ya'll hear us?"

Claire smiled "We couldn't hear anything on the porch, but Dru went inside to wake you and heard just enough to make him turn pink and run back out"

"Sorry about that" Hasil said with a shy grin

"No apologies for love" Claire said "We should all be so lucky."

"I am pretty lucky" Hasil agreed "She's about the best thing's ever happened to me. You got somebody waiting back home?"

"No, my work keeps me pretty busy" Claire answered

"I appreciate what ya'll are doing to look after us and help my family" Hasil said "You're a good person, somebody will be lucky…."

"I'm good on my own, I don't really need…." Claire interrupted

"I felt the same way, growing up without my folks – didn't think I needed love" Hasil said quietly "But once you find it – you don't need nothing but."

They arrived at Millie's and Hasil stepped up on the porch and knocked. Claire was stunned, taken back to a time when she heard a similar message. After years in foster care and being on her own, she was being welcomed into a family. She stood in the yard, unable to move toward the porch.

Popsie held the door a moment before saying"I don't know what you've been through or what you've been told, but you're a good girl. You just need love, that's all." He held out his hand "You've found it."  
_________________________________________________

Wade was unsure exactly how to he would approach Matt. He needed to leave Mary Beth out of it, but wanted to mention West Virginia to really shake him up.

Matt walked into the station and was hurriedly moving toward his office. Wade jumped up and opened his door calling out "Hey Matt, can I talk to you minute?"

"Not now Wade" he responded brusquely

"Haylie Grimes was murdered" Wade said

Matt and everyone in the office turned to look at Wade. "Why don't we talk in my office?" Wade suggested, stepping back and opening the door for him

Matt turned and walked into Wade's office. Wade didn't take a seat, and purposely stood in front of the open blinds. He waited for Matt to speak

"What makes you think that?" Matt asked "I thought the Medical Examiner ruled it suicide."

"We got some test results back, and there's new evidence." Wade explained "She had a contusion in the back of her head, at first they though it was from the shower wall. You know, if she was struggling while she was strangling herself to death she might've hit her head" Wade paused, watching Matt nervously shift his weight "But they found glass shards in the back of her head that matched the shattered coffee table in the hotel room. Then we found hairs that matched her's in that same coffee table"

Matt cleared his throat and took a deep breath "So what's that prove?"

"Looks like her head was slammed into that table, hard enough to knock her out according to the ME" Wade said "Also found some DNA under her fingernails. Not a whole lot, murderer probably doesn't have any marks from being scratched – but the ME had enough to send out for analysis."

"Wow….that's umm….that's shocking" Matt said nervously

"Yeah, if I could just pinpoint a motive - it would point me toward the bastard who murdered her." Wade responded "I think it has something to do with them two jars she had when she was ripping you a new asshole"

"I wish I could help" Matt said, shifting nervously "But like I said, I don't recall any jars."

"They was missing from her room" Wade said "But she was a smart lady, smart enough to divide a portion into separate containers and hide em in her room. Should get test results on those and on DNA in a day or two. Anyway, being as you were a concerned friend – I wanted to let you know. With those tests and the new evidence, we're hot on the trail of Haylie's murderer."

"What new evidence?" Matt asked "Anything I might be able to help make sense of?"

"Just starting to dig into it, but there may be a connection to a job she worked in West Virginia. Anyway, I've already said too much." Wade said, stepping around Matt and opening his office door for Matt to exit "I just wanted to let you know I'm determined to get justice for your friend Haylie Grimes" he promised sincerely, locking eyes with Matt "that shit bag coward that murdered her - his days are numbered."

Matt nodded and silently trudged toward the door. Wade clapped him firmly on the back as he walked out "Have a good day Buddy!"

Wade watched Matt to his office, close the door, and shut the blinds. He dialed Arlene's number, she answered on the first ring "Hey Wade"

Wade leaned back in his chair and smiled, "The bear's poked. We'll keep an eye on him and let you know what comes of it."  
______________________________________________________

Phil'up was sitting in front of Big Fosters cabin watching him pace and listening to him rage. "What the hell is she doing back here?! 40 years! Broke my folk's hearts when she run off with that lostie, now she shows up with a bunch of her lostie friends – leading an invasion, that's what she's doing!"

"What do you think we should do?" Phil'up asked

Big Foster spat "They attacked me and took my side arm! Ambushed me right in front of my family, and nobody lifted a finger! Joy and G'Win are up there poisoning everybody against me. I'm gonna go dig up them guns, I ain't waiting no more to take back what's rightfully mine!"

"Now wait Foster" Phil'up advised "Once Lil Foster is made Bren'in, you'd be next in line since Lil Ray is just a baby. Why don't we sit tight until that's done? I can sniff around and see what I can find out about what they're doing here"

"They ain't gonna tell you nothin!" Foster said

"I'll tell em I'm worried you're touched in the head and say I'll keep watch on you." Phil'up said "I can make em believe me, then we'll know what they got planned."

Big Foster stopped pacing and looked at Phil'up "That just might work. We can make up something to throw em off my scent and they won't see me coming….you sure you can do this boy, lie to the Elders?

Phil'up stood and said fiercely "I'll do whatever I gotta do to protect this clan."

Big Foster put his hands on both Phil'ups shoulders "Seems like you and me are the only ones left who know what it means to sacrifice for this mountain and our kin. GED GED YAH cousin"

"GED GED YAH cousin" Phil'up responded, relieved he bought some time – but dreading the outcome. Big Foster was too dangerous to live among them, he had to go.  
_______________________________________________________

 

Arnie Wilkes was listening to the bug he'd planted in Matt Meyer's car remote. Arnie heard what Wade said to Matt and knew he needed to move up the timeline on eliminating Matt.

It was clear that the Sheriff was fishing and he was really jacking with Matt. Arnie could hear him breathing heavily and then he was pretty sure he heard puking. Twice. Jeez this guy was a grade a wuss. He would crack if much more pressure was applied. Tonight was gonna be a late night.  
_______________________________________

 

Hasil and Sally Ann were inside the barn in the Shay Baile watching Millie careful carrying a large steaming bowl of water. They stood together in front of a small table draped in lace, each holding a Shay Rose.

Sally Ann whispered to Hasil "I feel like we should be dressed up."

Hasil smiled and reassured her "You look beautiful."

Millie placed the bowl on the table and smiled at the couple. She turned to address the other occupants of the barn. "Friends and family, please gather close. We are here today to celebrate the blessings of love and life. Hasil and Sally Ann have a boy on the way, and they'll pray for blessings for the child and then friends and family may offer a prayer. For our company from down the hill, we put Shay Rose petals in the water as you ask the child be blessed. His folks keep the rose water for the naming ceremony. Hasil, would you like to start?"

"Sure" Hasil responded "Like Cousin Millie said, we're gonna have a son. He'll be named Declan, after my Fa – that was Sally Ann's choosing. Thank you Darlin, you're a kind hearted person and being loved by you is truly a blessing." He paused, picking up the Shay Rose and pulling off the first petal. Hasil took deep breath before continuing, already feeling his chest begin to tighten with emotion "I lost both my folks before I was 2 days old. I want Declan to know we love him because we tell him so every chance we get, not cause other folks tell him we did. I want him to know we're proud of him because he can see it in our eyes – not cause other folks tell him we would be. My prayer is for Declan to be blessed with having both his Ma and Fa growing up."

The Shay's and Farrells present answered in unison "May your child be blessed."

Millie turned to Sally Ann, who couldn't take her tear filled eyes off of Hasil, and asked "Would you like to pray for a blessing Sally Ann?

Her voice trembling, Sally Ann answered "Yes, I would. I chose the name Declan after hearing Joyce talk about Hasil's parents and there love for each other. It was strong and beautiful; it had to be to create a person as warm and genuine as Hasil. I wanted to honor that for him because he means the world to me." Picking up her Shay Rose and pulling off the first petal, she shared "My brother and me spent a lot of time fending for ourselves as kids. Our Daddy wasn't around and my Mama was either working or sick or tired or all three. She ran off when I was 12 and it was just me and Jay. My prayer for Declan is that he knows what it is to feel cared for and protected. So he is able to be a child with childish cares, so he can dream and grow without the weight of the world on his shoulders."

Everyone present answered in unison "May your child be blessed"

Millie came forward and asked everyone to bow there heads in prayer

Dear Lord,

We follow your path and seek wisdom, truth, and love. You lead us to enjoy the beauty in creation, to live each day with love in our hearts. We ask you to hear our prayers and bless the child of Hasil and Sally Ann. Thank you that you guiding us and protecting us with love and peace by your gentle hand. Thank you for the blessing of this mountain as our home and sanctuary. We bow to your glory.

Amen.

Hasil put his arm around Sally Ann and kissed her hair "Love you" he whispered.

Sally Ann put her arms around his waist and laid her head on his shoulder. "Love you too"  
___________________________________________

Everyone was enjoying the meal Millie made to celebrate the blessing. They would be leaving for the Coronation in two hours. Sitting with Stubby and taking in the view Joyce commented to Stubby "I thought I remembered how beautiful it is up here – but my memory didn't do it justice."

"What I seen of the low land don't compare to what we got up here." Stubby agreed

"What happened to Fa?" Joyce asked

"Shot. Some coal fellas was sniffing around the mountain, your Fa and some of the boys ran em off." Stubby explained "I'll never forget that day – clear and bright as the first day of spring. They come back with the law. We painted up – ready to call the fury of the mountain down. We called and the sky turned black and the heavens opened up. Thunder and lightning filled the air and them lowlanders turned tail."

"If they ran, how did Fa get shot?" Joyce asked

"That brother of yours took off after them, chasing em into the woods." Stubby squeezed her hand "Your Fa followed to stop him, and one of them lowlanders turned to shoot and hit your Fa instead of Big Foster. He lived 4 days, long enough to pass the Oak to Lady Ray and for most of us to make our goodbyes."

Joyce felt tears flowing down her face as she grieved for her Fa. Stubby comforted her patiently allowing her this long overdue grief. "Thank you Stubby" she sniffed "I wish I could have said a proper goodbye."

"I'll take you to see his grave before you go back down the hill" he promised "His spirit will hear you."

They sat quietly for a few moments before Stubby asked "What'd you mean at circle when you told Big Foster Lady Ray wished he'd left and your Morai was right about him?"

Joyce took a deep breath and locked eyes with Stubby "I've never told anyone this – not even my husband. When I was about 13, that made my brother 17 or so, Fa sent him home from the hunt. He was real drunk and causing problems. By the time Foster got home, he was enraged – he started tearing up the cabin. He hit me, hit Ma, hit Morai…..he had me pinned to a wall, choking me. Morai was the one who finally knocked him out cold with a rock. Ma hogged tied him and we dragged him out to the back porch. We'd never seen him like that – his eyes were just black with hate. Then Fa came home and Ma told him what happened. Fa said it was his fault, he feared Foster would hurt himself, so he followed him at a distance. But Fa wasn't the only one following him – The Red Wolf came for my brother that night."

Stubby gasped "Are you sure gal? How did he survive…?"

Joyce took a long drink of Farrell Wine before continuing "My Fa killed the Red Wolf. He said he saw him stalking Foster, and he knew what it meant – but he couldn't let it have his boy. Morai was just beside herself – she said The Red Wolf was the leader of the Wyleth-Clannin and the protector of the mountain. If the Red Wolf came for you, it was the will of the mountain. She thought we should banish my brother and pray for forgiveness, said he would never be able to do right now that his soul had overstayed its welcome on the mountain. She believed the mountain would turn on us if we let him stay. My Ma caught me listening and sent me to stay with Emelye for the night, so I don't know what else was said – but after that night, my folks were changed. We all were. We betrayed the mountain and it still hasn't been set straight. My brother didn't get banished and my folks stopped loving each other. Morai prayed everyday for forgiveness and the return of The Red Wolf, but anytime Wyleth-Clannin was spotted after the hunt - there were only the 3."

Stubby was speechless. He sat quietly, thinking of his boys – wondering what he would have done in Foster IV's shoes. "You gotta tell folks about this at First Circle. He's done more than enough to deserve banishment, but that tells everybody he was supposed to leave this place long ago and he's got to go – we have to put things right with the mountain."


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Ledda found Joyce sitting on Millie's front porch "Hey, Dru and Claire want everybody in the barn to go over the plans for the Coronation."

Joyce nodded, but didn't respond. Ledda noticed she was clutching a handkerchief and her eyes were red and puffy.

"Are you alright?" Ledda asked

Joyce took a deep breath and found her voice "I'm okay, it's just been an emotional day."

Sitting down next to her, Ledda said "I'm sure you have a lot of catching up to do"

"And making up" Joyce replied "Stubby told me what happened to my Fa. He was killed the last time the clan stopped a coal company fro making a run at the mountain."

Ledda's eyes were suddenly wide, and Joyce asked "You remember that?"

Ledda nodded "Yeah, my Daddy was Sheriff. He was killed that day too, struck by lightning. Most folks think it was an accident, but Wade doesn't. This mountain scares him. He just tried to talk me out of going to circle tomorrow. Him and a lot of folks believe the mountain is alive and that it's protecting your family somehow."

"What do you believe?" Joyce asked

"I believe the mountain is protecting all of us, even those of us in the valley."Ledda replied "I miss my Daddy, but I think him being killed wasn't intentional."

Joyce reached out and squeezed Ledda's hand "The Mountain has a strong spirit. If your father died up here, he is part of it. Your husband is part of it. Both my folks are part of it. "

"Maybe that's what drew me up here, I just know I want to do what I can to put things right again. For Breece, for my girls" Ledda sighed "Seems like there's no peace below if there's s no peace up here"

"It won't be easy, but we're on the path to doing just that." Joyce stood "We shouldn't keep Dru waiting; we've got a mountain to save"  
_______________

Phil'up sat before the elders with his head in his hands. "He was gonna go try to dig up them guns"

Krake was up to speed after returning from the McGintuk Baile. "How'd you keep him from doing it?"

"He wants to know why his sister's come back" Phil'up explained "I told him I'd try to find out. He's real spooked, her showing up's got him scared out of his mind"

"He was out of his mind before she got here!" Shurn exclaimed

"Shurn!" G'win warned

"How'd you tell him you'd do it?" Lil Foster asked

"Said I'd tell y'all I was worried he was touched and that I'd keep watch over him" Phil'up replied "He thinks G'win and Joy are turning folks against him"

"We need to hold him off until first circle" Emelye said "Do you think he'll disrupt the Coronation?"

"No ma'am, he wants Lil Foster to be Bren'in, that way he'll be next in line." Phil'up said

"Can you get him to circle?" Krake asked "We get him there somehow and that lady from down the hill can call him out"

"Tell him he ought to try to get his sister banished" Lil Foster said "He won't miss a chance to get up in front of the clan and hear himself talk."

G'win nodded "Tell him the Elders ain't quite sure she's here to help, that he can still turn us against her"

Phil'up took a deep breath and locked eyes with Lil Foster "This gonna be over soon?"

Lil Foster put his hand on Phil'up's shoulder "I surely hope so Cousin."  
_______________

Matt Myers walked into office and promptly vomited into his trashcan. Once he was on his feet again, he concentrated on getting his breathing under control. Pacing back and forth, he tried to talk himself down. "Not that bad…..I can still spin this…..he's fishing, he's got nothing…we were clean when we left West Virginia…he's got nothing."

He suddenly remembered the text about Bob Johnson and rushed to the trashcan to vomit again. Sitting on the floor with his back against his desk he said to himself – I can't spin that. If Don or Arnie find out about Bill that's the end of the line.

"I need a plan B" He said to himself.

Matt stood and sat down at his desk. He googled - Countries without extradition to the United States. Browsing the list, he said out loud "Cuba…..close and I can get there from Mexico – should be harder to track. 24 hours…..If I can't get this figured out…..that's my plan B."  
_______________

Arlene was surprised to hear from Taeson so quickly. "Hey Tae…."

Taeson responded "You have dropped some shady shit in my lap before Chica, but this right here…"

"Yeah, pretty awful. But it's all true." She affirmed

"We need those whistleblowers to move forward" he said "we'll have to validate the admissibility of the evidence to get it before a Grand Jury"

"We'll be meeting with one tonight and another tomorrow" Arlene explained "but our 3rd person is dead. Her name was Haylie Grimes; the Sheriff believes she was murdered."

"What sheriff? Are you working with a local agency?" Taeson asked

"Wade Houghton, he's the county Sheriff. He is kinda sorta a whistleblower, but not to the level of the others." Arlene explained

"Kinda sorta?" Taeson replied "Arlene Perez…..you know how I do, and there is no kinda sorta in Tae Town – either he is or he is not."

Arlene smiled "The person we're meeting tomorrow is Haylie's secretary. She has proof that Haylie provided most of the information you have. The other informant is someone from the Governors office; I don't know what this person has yet. Wade is concentrating on proving the murder and the connection to One Planet. If you need him, he will testify"

"I don't want to reach out the the Kentucky branch until you've got the Whistleblowers secured." Taeson explained "I'll work internally on a national level to get myself assigned and then when you have everything, figure out how to loop them in. Tomorrow, 5:30 PM for update?

"That sounds good." She replied "I can't thank you enough my friend."

"You know you don't need to thank me!" Taeson replied "This right here is why we do what we do. Not in my country, not on my watch. Caping for Shay Mountain!"  
_______________

Arnie Wilkes reached out to Don Fushee to provide an update. "Plan is almost working too well, I sent him something to spook him – and then when he got back to the office the Sheriff announced Haylie Grimes had been murdered. Had Matt puking in his office."

"You think the Sheriff has anything?" Don asked

"It sounded circumstantial to me, more like a fishing expedition." Arnie answered "But it was enough to get Matt to start looking at a life in Cuba."

"It might be better if this thing could happen out of town." Don suggested "Get him to running and catch him on the road. In a different jurisdiction"

"That's not a bad idea and looking for him will keep the Sheriff busy." Arnie agreed

"You think you can get him to run?" Don asked

"That won't be a problem, sir" Arnie replied  
_______________

The group arrived at the Farrell Baile, ready to attend the Coronation. The plan was to stay for for the ceremony but leave before the celebration was in full swing. Everyone was pretty tired from getting an early start, and Hasil warned that clan celebrations tended to get real rowdy as the night went on.

Before leaving the Shay Baile, Dru and the team reviewed security protocol. Stubby would stay with them so they had two guides if they had to split up. They didn't expect trouble, but wanted to be prepared.

As they approached from where they parked the vehicles, everyone waited at the edge of the village while Runt and Erica went ahead. Dru wanted to make sure there were no surprises waiting for them.

Looking around, Sally Ann recognized that they were standing near the place she found Hasil when she walked up the mountain. Where her life changed, where her heart realized something it took her mind weeks to vocalize, a place she may never see again.

Squeezing Hasil's hand, she asked "Can we talk over there, Babe?"

"You alright?" Hasil asked

She nodded "Uh huh, I just want to tell you something in private."

Hasil looked at her curiously "Alright"

As they started to walk away, Dru warned "You two stay in our line of sight please"

"We will" Sally Ann responded as they walked forward. As they neared the spot, Sally Ann turned and faced Hasil. Taking both his hands she walked backwards a few steps and stopped. Looking around intently, she took two steps to the left and gestured for Hasil to do the same. She met his curious eyes with a smile.

"What?" He asked

"This is it, this is the spot" She explained

"Sally Ann, I don't …" Hasil started

"When I came up the mountain to find you" she interrupted "I was nervous and I was so scared. I wasn't really sure what to expect, but something told me to have faith in you. Then you told me it would be alright…."

She stopped as a wave of emotion washed over her. Stepping closer, Hasil raised his hand to cup her face and kissed her forehead. "Everything is alright, so long as we're together"

Sally Ann placed her hand on his chest and took a deep breath before continuing "I hadn't really let myself want the baby before that and I was so relieved to hear you say you wanted him. All the …..everything…..I'd been feeling since I first suspected I was pregnant just melted away standing in this spot. With you. So this is it, this is where I was standing when I knew I loved you."

Hasil felt his throat tighten with emotion as he said "C'mere" and pulled her close.

"Sorry it took me so long to say it" Sally Ann said "Things just moved so fast and …"

Hasil replied "I'm the one who should be sorry. I waited for you to say it first even though I knew I loved you that first night we was together."

Sally Ann smiled "To be fair, you did drop a few hints."

Hasil laughed "You caught those, huh?"

She nodded, laughing along with him "Baby….you are not a subtle man."

They were interrupted by Runt and Erica returning. Hasil kissed her hand and whispered "Thank you" as he guided her back toward the group.

"All clear" Erica reported "Emelye said the ceremony should be starting soon."

Dru looked at the group "Remember to stay with your designated group. We'll be here an hour tops. Kris and Joel, remember the deal – no filming or mention of Lil Foster. You want that exclusive with him once he is cleared of charges, you'll ensure you keep your word."

After an afternoon talking the various members of the clan, the news crew was humbled and more than onboard with the cause. Kris nodded "We're with you. We won't forget."

Dru nodded. Turning to look at Joyce he asked "You ready for this?"

Joyce smiled "Whether I'm ready or not is irrelevant, the time has come."

Dru nodded and turned back to the group "You heard the lady folks, its time. Stubby, would you lead the way?

Stubby offered Joyce his arm and he led the group toward the barn to see Foster Farrell VIII's accession to Bren'in.  
_______________

Wade couldn't concentrate more than 2 minutes without looking toward Matt Meyer's office. He arranged to have him tracked by the traffic cam operator once Wade gave the signal.

He picked up his cell phone and looked at it for a moment before dialing the one person who could capture his attention.

Dana answered on the first ring. "Wade?"

"Yeah, hey. It's Wade." Wade slapped himself on the forehead, she knew that.

Wade could hear the smile in her response "I could see that, I just didn't know if I believed it. You aren't that big on calling…"

"Well…. I…..um…. had a few minutes and thought I'd see how you was doing." Wade said

"I'm good, starting to pack up my place here. It's nice to hear your voice Wade" Dana replied, sensing something more she asked "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, just work….you know. I needed a distraction and …"Wade started

Dana interrupted "A distraction? I'm a distraction?"

Wade stammered "I just…I mean….. I needed a friendly voice in my head…"

"You have voices in your head?" Dana teased

Wade relaxed and smiled "Yep, I'll introduce you to all of em' when you make it back."

Dana laughed and Wade pressed the phone closer to his ear and imagined he could feel her breath on his ear. She replied "I'll hold you to that!"

Matt Meyer's door opened and he walked out to the door without stopping to speak to anyone.

"Hey, I gotta run. Thanks for…just... thanks." Wade said quietly

"Anytime Wade…..anytime at all. Okay?" Dana asked

"Alright." Wade said, not sure why he was nodding over the phone

"Take care of yourself" Dana said before disconnecting

Wade took a deep breath to get his head back in the game, and then called Judd Fults. "He's on the move."  
_______________

Kat was taking the lead in meeting the potential state whistleblower. She had a way of putting people at ease and letting them talk. Occasionally she had to channel her inner Claire and get a little tough, but she always got her witness.

The Louisville security team was providing back up. They were meeting at a shopping mall. Josh had instructions to enter the mall at the north end, buy a movie ticket, enter the theater, and walk out the south side door. He was to proceed to the parking garage at the south end. He needed to enter the parking garage on the 2nd level and take the elevator up to the 5th level.

Exiting the elevator and looking around, Josh McInnis was a nervous wreck. He was not cut out for this covert shit! He almost turned around twice while driving to the mall; he was having second thoughts about this.

In the box van parked in the corner, Kat said "That's him. Showtime guys!"

Pulling up, Kat stepped out of the van and approached Josh "Hi Josh, I'm Kat." She extended her hand and offered a warm smile "Step into my office" she said, guiding him into the van.

Josh climbed into the van in the 2nd row of seats and Kat followed and sat facing him.

"I know this is nerve wracking Josh, but you did the right thing by calling us." Kat said sincerely "Thank you."

Josh exhaled and nodded "I never thought I'd be in this position, I guess I was naïve."

"What position are you in?' Kat asked

"Everyone in my family is in politics, one way or another." Josh explained "It's the family business. I mean, I knew politics sometimes walked the line, but…"

"But what?" Kat asked

"I remember my mom and dad debating politics and asking us kids our opinions. Encouraging us – requiring us - to know what was going on in our town, our county, our state, our country, our world!" He exclaimed "My mom would say to be unashamed in your passion and and steadfast in your beliefs. But always remember, right is right and wrong is wrong."

Reaching out to squeeze his hand, Kat asked gently "So you're here because…"

"Because wrong is wrong." Josh responded "Because Matt Meyers promised the Governor that something would happen to make the Farrell's a Federal Problem. Because when I asked, the Governor told me I didn't want to know what that was. Because people are dying and it makes my chest hurt and wrong is wrong"

"And right is right." Kat agreed "Are you willing to help us make things right?"

"What is right?" Josh asked "I truly believe they need to come off that mountain, they're standing in the way of progress."

"You have every right to believe that." Kat responded "But if the state and One Planet want that to happen, they should have to do it legally and fairly. There is nothing legal or fair about poison and murder. Right is playing by the rules. They didn't play by the rules, knowingly and willfully, and people died. Children died. But you know that, or you wouldn't be here now, would you?"

Josh leaned forward, and put his head in his hands.

"Right is right Josh." Kat reminded him "Will you help us?"

Kat let the silence be her ally as she waited for a response, Josh nodded and and replied quietly "Yes, what do you need me to do?"  
_______________

The crowd parted as Emelye walked in carrying The Oak. Foster Farrell VIII stood waiting before his kin to take the oath. As Emelye started to speak, a man came forward holding a dead rooster.

The ACLU team shared looks, Dru and Claire both conveying to Erica to keep her mouth shut. Her eyes asked how she was supposed to do that when someone was shaking a dead chicken 10 feet away from her. Claire's look shifted from shut up to don't make me come over there, and Erica rolled her eyes in resignation. They never let her have any fun!

Foster the VIII stared down at The Oak, then looked out at his family.

"I wish I could say this is a day I dreamed about. I didn't ever think I would hold The Oak, and I never wanted to. But I love my family and I love our way of life. It's my duty to fight to protect both. This world has changed and gotten bigger the 200 years we been on this mountain. For along time we were able to keep to ourselves and keep the rest of the world out. Now the world is pushing in and we can't keep em back by ourselves no more. We need help, we need friends down the mountain who got the same beliefs and can help us use our greatest weapons – peace and love – to protect this mountain, to protect our kin, to protect our way of life. Tonight – let's drink and love and celebrate this life. Tomorrow, the hard work begins. I give you my word as Bren'in – this clan, this life, this mountain – will survive! GED GED YAH!"


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Matt Meyers was on his 3rd drink. He was dissecting his current situation and trying to determine at what point it turned into a complete shit show.

He was cocky. It all went back to West Virginia. You can't get away with something like that twice. He never should have tried it here, and he knew it. Then Haylie had to push him, she forced his hand – it was him or her. Self defense really…or survival of the fittest, but no jury would see it that way.

Matt poured his 4th drink and thought, so what if this is the end of the line? He has enough money stashed to live a comfortable life in a 3rd world paradise. There are worse ways to live out your days than smoking Cuban Cigars and sipping Mojitos. Prison would be way worse, 2nd only to being dead.

As Matt sat back and let the alcohol numb his mind, his phone alerted with a text. Matt sat straight up.

You don't know me, but I know you. I know what you did.All of it.So will everyone else unless I get $500K.You have 24 hours.I will provide an account for wire transfer in 20 Hours.

Matt stared at the text, surprisingly calm. Time for plan B.

First he sent a text message to the head of FEMA, apologizing for his sudden departure today – claiming his mother was hospitalized, a family emergency. Said he would be taking tomorrow off and be back in the office Monday. That should give him a head start; he won't be missed until Monday at the earliest.

He then booked a flight from Louisville to Mexico City, connecting in Dallas for first thing tomorrow and a hotel near the Louisville airport tonight. He booked a separate ticket from Mexico City to Havana. He would be in Havana before the 24 hours was up.

Unbeknownst to Matt, Arnie was sharing his computer screen. He saw the flight and hotel booking as it was happening. Picking up the phone, he gave the order "He'll be leaving for Louisville tonight. Get a small charge on one of his tires. Wait till he's about ½ way there before you blow the tire. Text me to confirm when it's done. Oh, and take a bat in case the accident doesn't do the job – it needs to look like blunt force trauma."

_______________

At the Coronation celebration, Big Foster was trying and failing to ignore his sister. He seethed as he watched cousin after cousin greet her with affection. Like she hadn't broke both her folks hearts and abandoned our ways for some lostie boy.

Phil'up approached and handed him a mug of Farrell Wine.

"She sure's got all of em fooled" Big Foster said "Holding court like she ain't a disgrace to our name."

This was his opening, Phil'up responded "She ain't got em all fooled, some of the elders don't trust her."

"That so? What'd you hear?" He asked

"Well G'win was talking to Shurn and Willem and said they don't trust her." Phil'up shared "Said maybe it ain't by chance she knew when to come back. Said folks thought she had Seer powers like your Morai….. "

"Not like Morai, but she had ways about her…" Big Foster said thoughtfully "Ways that coulda been corrupted easy living among them lostie's"

"You oughta call her out at First Circle" Phil'up said "It'd put Lil Foster in a tough spot right off, before he's got a chance to get his legs under him"

"What about the rest of em?" He replied

"Well Emelye and Krake seem real partial to her" Phil'up explained

Big Foster nodded "They was close when we was kids. What about my boy?"

"He don't seem sure of her." He replied "He trusts Emelye and Krake, but G'win is bending his ear"

"We might be able to kill two birds with one stone – get her and them losties banished and divide the Elders." Big Foster mused "That'll get me closer to getting my birth right back"

"What do you want me to do?" Phil'up asked

"Just stay close." He ordered "Any of them lostie invaders come near me; make sure it's the last thing they do."

\---------------

Sally Ann was sitting with Millie watching the festivities. Hasil was dancing with Shurn, and Stubby was helping Joyce get reacquainted with some family.

"What do you think of your new family?" Millie asked

Sally Ann smiled, she wasn't sure she considered Hasil's extended family her family just yet "Well, this visit has been much nicer than my first trip up….." she replied struggling for words "Hasil really loves it here; I know he's glad to be back."

"I can't tell you how happy I am to see him safe" Millie replied "His spirit seems more steady now, he was a wild one. I imagine he didn't know what he was looking for, until he found you"

Sally Ann sighed "I do worry that he won't be happy in town; life is so different down there."

Millie reached out and squeezed her hand "Hasil is one of those rare people who carries his happiness in his heart. You just take care of his heart, and he won't fail you. He'll aggravate you to no end – but he'll be loving and loyal."

Hasil appeared and extended his hand to Sally Ann. "How bout a dance Darlin?" The music tempo had changed to a slow and sultry rhythm.

Sally Ann smiled and accepted his hand "Thank you Ms. Millie"

Millie smiled and nodded "Y'all have fun!"

Hasil pulled Sally Ann close and she rested her head on his shoulder as they swayed together. "What was you thanking Cousin Millie for?" He asked

"She told me you can be aggravating…" Sally Ann said with a smile

Hasil laughed out loud then planted a kiss on Sally Ann's forehead "She knows that first hand, and so do you….she's a good lady."

Turning her head to meet his eyes, Sally Ann said "She also told me you wouldn't fail me if I took care of your heart, and that you are loving and loyal."

"Did she now?" Hasil asked "She's right…and you're my heart now, you and our son. Y'all are everything to me, nothing in this world is more important"

They swayed quietly, enjoying the music and being close to one another. Sally Ann took in the faces around her. Most looked at them with curiosity, but she could see some confusion and even disapproval a few faces. One face she didn't spot was Asa….

"Where's Cousin Asa?" She asked

Hasil stopped and looked as Sally Ann, a shocked look on his face.

She put her hand on Hasil's chest "What?"

"He's gone Sally Ann…..Asa's dead." He explained

Her hand flew to her mouth and her throat got tight. "When, what happened?" Asa had been kind to her, and to Hasil. She knew he was helping fight the coal company, a small part of her was afraid James and his buddies had something to do with his death.

Hasil put his arm around her shoulder and led her to sit down. Dru approached to make sure everything was alright, Hasil nodded to let him know could handle it. "I found him about a week after you went back down, looked like he'd been killed by wolves." He saw tears filling her eyes and pulled her into an embrace "I'm sorry I didn't tell you, everything changed so fast and it just didn't come up"

Sally Ann wasn't sure why she was so emotional, she'd only met Asa a couple times. She nodded quietly and worked to regain her composure "That's terrible. I'm sorry, he was a good person…..he asked me to look out for you too."

"He was, our family didn't do to good a job looking out for him" Hasil said. Looking up at Dru he said "Maybe we ought to get going, I'll go make my goodbyes to the Bren'in". Kissing Sally Ann on the forehead he whispered "be right back"

As Hasil approached Lil Foster, who was visiting with Joyce and Stubby, he stopped and bowed in respect. "Bren'in"

"Cousin" Lil Foster nodded, seeing Millie appearing to comfort Sally Ann he asked "Your missus alright?"

"Yeah, she asked about Asa." Hasil replied "I never told her he'd passed on, took her by surprise."

"She knew Asa?" Lil Foster asked

Hasil nodded "She met him a couple times when he was down the hill. I told him about Sally Ann before anybody else knew."

"Seems like my brother had a way of touching folks" Lil Foster responded

Joyce and Stubby looked just as shocked as Hasil

"Your brother?" Hasil said

"I believe so, after Fa came back, he told Phil'up and Bart that Asa was his boy – asked em to take him to his grave." Lil Foster said "I used to hear talk of it when I was a kid, he always said it wasn't true."

"So Foster's lost two sons?" Joyce asked

"Yes'm" Lil Foster responded "Both hard losses, last born Elon being shot and first born Asa to the wolves."

"Dru is rounding folks up so we can get back" Bowing in respect Hasil continued "I'm glad we got you as our leader, you're the best among us Bren'in."

"Thank you Hasil. I'll do my best to be worthy of the Oak and the clans trust" Lil Foster

Stubby and Joyce bowed in respect and turned to leave with Hasil.

"What happened to Asa?" Joyce asked

"Looked liked he was attacked by wolves" Hasil answered, shaking his head "He wasn't all there when we found him, a sight I won't soon forget."

As they walked in silence, Joyce mused that it couldn't be chance that wolves took her brothers first born. Was it the 3, Wyleth-Clannin? Was the mountain seeking justice for the Red Wolf? She needed to talk to Emelye and find out more about Asa before the circle tomorrow. There were no coincidences on Shay Mountain.  
_______________

 

Kat and Arlene spent the evening examining the documents provided by Joshua. Early on in meetings with One Planet, Josh had suggested to the Lt. Governor that they should be keeping some sort of records on the meetings.

"I told Lt. Governor James I thought it would be in our best interests to maintain some kind of record in case things went sideways. One Planet had used the government as a scape goat on more than one occasion." Josh explained, producing 3 notebooks "He didn't want to keep anything official, so we agreed I would journal each meeting by hand."

Josh handed the journals to Kat and continued "I always journaled in blue ink, then I would mark the start of the entry and Lt Governor James would review them. He would make notes, additions, or deletions in red. If we needed to turn them into official records, then I was to use the edited version."

Flipping through the journals, Kat could see they were written as quoting conversations. "You weren't journaling during the meetings, so how accurate are these?"

"One hundred percent accurate. I noted the date, start time and duration of each meeting at the start of each entry. I noted the same information for the journal entry upon completion." He responded "I never waited more than 12 hours to complete a journal entry."

"So you could recall these conversations with 100% accuracy after 12 hours?" Kat asked, skeptically

"Yes" Josh affirmed "I have Immediate Serial Recall ability. It's like total recall, but only for short term memory. Depending on how involved I am in a conversation, I recall up to 48 hours with 100% accuracy."

Kat gave him the side eye, so Josh started reciting – word for word – the conversation they had in the van at the mall 3 hours ago. She was shocked "Wow! Alrighty then…. I learned something new today! Will the Lt Governor miss these?"

"No, after the ATF was called in he asked me to keep the offsite in a secure location." He replied

"The ACLU is happy to provide you a secure location" Kat replied with a smile. "Within the next 24-48 hours, Justice will likely be ready to move. We will file a lawsuit on your behalf under the False Claims Act. That starts the whistleblower process. Initially it'll be anonymous, but there will be an effort to unseal the case."

Josh took a deep breath and nodded. "Alright"

Gripping the journals, Kat looked Josh in the eye "Once I leave here with these, there is no turning back. Once we draft the lawsuit, there is documentation that these exist…."

"I know its okay. Right is right, I'm in." Josh replied. "Probably the end of my career in politics…..is the ACLU hiring?"  
________________________

Wade's phone rang; his stomach did a flip when he saw it was Ben Vincent – FEMA Administrator for the Greenpoint mine disaster. What the hell? He answered "Houghton here"

"Hey Wade" Ben said "Sorry to bother you so late, I need a favor."

"Sure Ben, what can I do for you?" Wade replied

"I got a briefing at 0800 tomorrow, and I need some files back I loaned Matt." Ben explained "Any way you can get me into his office?"

"Matt usually gets in by 0700, you need them before that?" Wade asked

"Matt had a family emergency; his mother is in the hospital. He told me he won't be back until Monday" Ben replied

"What?!" Wade exclaimed

"He sent me a text about 1830 to let me know. He didn't reach out to you?" Ben asked

Shit! Wade thought to himself "He didn't. I'll make sure somebody gets you in to get them files in the morning Ben."

"Appreciate it, Wade – I'll drop by about 0700." Ben responded

"Sure thing. Night Ben." Wade hung up without waiting for him to reply. He immediately called Deputy Fults. Looking at his watch, it was 9:15PM. "Hey Judd….What time did you leave Meyers place?"

"About 8pm" Judd answered "Why?"

Grabbing his keys, Wade headed for the door "He sent Ben from FEMA a text saying he was leaving town for the weekend. I think he's planning to run."

"I can be there in 10 minutes" Judd replied

"Meet you there!" He said. Angry, Wade thought he couldn't have more than an hour head start. I'm gonna track that asshole down and drag him back to Blackburg!

_______________

Lil Foster and G'win sat on the back porch of there cabin, enjoying the silence and gazing at the moon. The celebration had been peaceful and calm. Both knew all too well that would not be the case with tomorrow's first circle.

"How're you feeling?" G'win asked

"Not like a Bren'in, but I suppose that will come" Lil Foster replied "How bout you? Glad to be rid of it?"

"I believe we have our rightful leader now, and I'm glad for that" G'win replied. "We need the steadiness and calm you bring, the clans haven't had hardships such as these in a long time"

"You think I'm doing to right thing?" Lil Foster asked "Taking help from these folks?"

"I do" G'win replied "You're right about the world being smaller, we gotta tell our story. If we let the coal company keeping feeding the world lies and half truths, we're gonna lose this mountain."

Looking at The Oak still in his hand, Lil Foster sighed "You know I ain't his first born?"

"What are you talking about?" Asked G'win

"Asa was his first born, my brother" he replied "Fa claimed him when he come back and heard he was dead. Maybe he was our rightful leader"

G'win took a moment to recover from the shock before continuing "Foster, things are just as they should be. The mountain called Asa back for a purpose that stayed between him and the mountain. He may have been first born, but he wasn't meant to be Bren'in."

Lil Foster nodded and exhaled deeply. Before he could respond, they heard Ray crying from inside. "I'll go check on her" he said, heading inside

Sitting back in her chair, G'win closed her eyes. Asa…..Big Foster's son? Nobody knew who his Fa was when they was kids. She whispered out loud "I'm sorry Asa, wherever you are – I hope you're at peace"

G'win heard a noise from the trees and opened her eyes, standing – she walked to the edge of the porch and suddenly felt it – that tightness in her chest and tingling in her fingers she used to get when Asa was near. Out of the woods walked 3 wolves, they stood silently in a pack – staring at her. Suddenly they parted as packs only do for the Alpha, and a Red Wolf appeared at the tree line and walked forward to join them. The Red Wolf boldly meet G'win's eyes. They stared at one another and G'win breathed quietly "Asa…."

Letting out a howl, the Red Wolf turned and bounded into the trees with the pack on his heels.

\---------------------------

 

Matt Meyers was 2 hours outside of Blackburn, well on his way to Louisville. As he came around the backside of Shay Mountain, he once again cursed it as his ruin. He sped up, wanting to put as much distance as possible between him and that mountain. Besides, he hadn't been able to get a cell phone signal for at least an hour. He needed to get out of the boondocks. As he made his way through a series of curves, he felt his tire blow. Doing 80 Mph around a curve, he lost control of the vehicle and flipped down and embankment.

Hank watched Meyer's car go down the embankment and pulled over check the scene. Grabbing his baseball bat, he got out and walked toward the embankment. He could see the vehicle had landed upside down, about 20 feet down. There was no movement. Moving down further along the road, Hank turned on his flash light to see if Meyers had been thrown from the car. As he started to make his way down, he saw a hand reach out of the driver side window. That asshole was alive! Hank went a few feet down and hid behind a tree. He planned to wait until Meyers got himself out of the car started to walk up to the road.

Matt was finally able to crawl and claw his way out of the vehicle. He hurt all over, but nothing seemed to be broken. He sat for a moment, looking at the car. He needed his bag and to get up to the road. The trunk was open and he could see his bag several feet down the embankment. He got to his feet and staggered down toward the bag. As he reached for the bag, a large Red Wolf appeared silently. Matt froze, uncertain of what to do. Suddenly 3 other wolves appeared and the pack surrounded him.

Matt lunged for his bag, hoping to use it for a weapon and the wolves attacked.

Higher up on the embankment, Hank looked on in horror – frozen in his hiding spot and he watched the wolves tear Matt Meyers to shreds. Self preservation took over and he slowly inched his was back up to the road and ran to his vehicle.

Hands still shaking, he picked up his phone to see a text from Arnie "Confirmed?"

"Confirmed." Hank replied

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bye Felicia!!


	32. Chapter 32

Shit! Son of a bitch, got damn coward ran! Wade pulled out his phone to call Arlene

"Hey Wade" she answered "What's up?"

"Meyers is in the wind" Wade said "He's gone"

"What?!" Arlene responded "Are you sure?"

"Yeah" Wade said "he told the FEMA administrator his mother was in the hospital so he had to leave for a couple days, but his mother's dead. Damn it!"

"What do you think pushed him to this?" She asked

"I don't know, I don't think I pushed him that hard – but who knows." Wade replied "You think he's on to your investigation?"

Arlene was unsure "Anything's possible – I mean, we've kept the circle pretty tight but I don't know the Louisville team or office that well."

"My deputy is on his tail, traffic cams show him heading in the direction of Louisville. But he's got more than an hour head start. We can't really put out an APB" Wade explained "we got no charges pending"

"Let me talk to my DOJ contact, I'll see if he can look into airline reservations or credit card transactions" She replied "That might give us a clue as to where he's heading. Circle back at midnight?"

"Alright, midnight it is." Wade said. Ending the call, he stared searching the place – hoping to come up with something.  
___________________

Taeson answered the phone "It's almost 10pm"

Arlene knew Tae had a strict beauty sleep rule, staying cute required structure and discipline. "I know, I know – I have 6 minutes, I'll talk fast!"

"Down to 5 minutes now…." Taeson replied

"The Emergency Manager that we've linked to One Planet, who we also think murdered a woman and poisoned the Shay mountain crops and streams - is on the run" Arlene explained "We need help in locating him"

"If there isn't a warrant out, technically he isn't on the run." Taeson responded "Do you have enough for me to bring charges?"

"Did you get anything from West Virginia?" She asked

"It'll take a day or two to get those records." Tae replied "You want to wait that long?"

"We still have some leg work to do, we have opportunity, but need West Virginia for motive for the murder. We are reviewing new info right now to add to what we sent you" She explained "I'm hoping we'll have a good case for corruption and fraud."

"Hope floats Chica, it does not indict" Tae said "If I can't charge him …."

"C'mon on Tae!" Arlene urged "Isn't there a watch list you can flag him on?"

"You know you work for the ACLU, right?" Tae reminded "Arch enemy of all watch lists? You have 2 minutes."

Reaching, Arlene pleaded "Okay, how about just checking secure flight data? Government system, shouldn't require a warrant…"

Tae was quiet, she could tell he was thinking about it. "Please Taeson. He murdered a woman with his bare hands and a child with poison. Remember …we're caping for Shay Mountain…."

Taeson sighed "I hate caping with bags under my eyes…..do you have his full name and date of birth?"  
_____________________

Judd Fults was sitting in the command center at the Louisville airport police station. He was monitoring the cameras at the ticket counter area, hoping for a glimpse of Matt Meyers. The ACLU contact at DOJ was able to tell them he showed cleared through the secure flight system for an early flight to Dallas and on to Mexico City.

His task is to watch and report that he boarded the flight. They were working hard to try and get a warrant before he landed in Mexico. If he was caught fleeing the country, we would be turned over to federal authorities – which would make the DOJ's job easier.

His phone rang, it was Wade "Hey Boss"

"Hey" Wade replied "Got anything?"

"Nothing yet" Judd answered "I'm starting to think he isn't gonna show. The airline said they cancel your reservation if you aren't checked in 30 minutes before the flight. We're at the 40 minute mark right now"

"We finally found a hotel that he was booked at" Wade said "but he never did check in. If he don't show up there, we're back to having nothing"

"You think this was all a diversion?" Judd asked

"I don't know Judd" Wade replied "But it's all we got right now. If he don't show up, we'll work a missing persons angle. That'll be enough get us a hit on his cell phone location and maybe credit card purchases"

"Alright, I'll stick around until the plane leaves." Judd says "I'll call you either way"  
_____________________

Hasil was having trouble sleeping. Sitting on the back porch of his folks place, he was grateful to see Sunrise on the mountain again and wondering if it would be his last time.

Today was a big day for his kin. Accepting help went against everything they'd worked for the last 200 years. But if they didn't, it meant the end of everything. There wouldn't be another chance like this to protect themselves.

This was gonna be one helluva first circle.

"Hasil?" Sally Ann called

"Out here Darlin" he answered over his shoulder.

Sally Ann stepped out onto the porch, and stopped – stunned by the beauty of the sunrise. "Wow…"

"Yeah" Hasil said "Its something, ain't it?" He extended his hand and guided her to sit on his lap

"This…..is what you were talking about" she whispered. They sat quietly and watched nature work its magic.

Finally Sally Ann broke the silence "Good morning" she said, smiling and leaning down to meet his lips

"Morning" Hasil replied, then rubbing her belly he added "Morning Dec"

"How long you been up?" She asked

"Bout a hour I guess" he said "I was pretty restless, didn't want to wake y'all up"

Sally Ann looked at him, concerned "You feeling okay?"

"Yeah, just got my mind on the circle today" Hasil explained "Nothing about it is gonna be easy"

"You still think the plan is a good one?" She asked

"I do, just ain't gonna be easy" he said "Nobody's ever brought this kinda thing to circle, we're gonna be fighting 200 years of history. And Foster ain't gonna go quietly, I almost think he'd burn the mountain down before he'd take being banished"

"Your family won't let that happen" Sally Ann assured him "neither will Dru and Claire."

"Circle gets rowdy on a good day, this one's bound to be wild" Hasil said "You stay with Dru no matter what, alright?"

Sally Ann looked at Hasil for a moment, before asking "Why are you saying no matter what?"

"Like I said" he explained "it can get rowdy – shoving, hollering, slapping, scratching, kicking, biting….."

"Seriously? You can't get in a fight Hasil…..your stitches….." She started

Hasil interrupted "I ain't gonna fight nobody, I know how to get through one of these – I just need to make sure y'all are safe – You and Declan gotta be somewhere where you can get out quick if it comes down to it. I can get myself out"

Sally Ann closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. She took a deep breath and opening her eyes said "I swear to God Hasil Farrell, I will kill you if you if you get hurt!"

Hasil opened his mouth to reply not to worry, but the look on her face cautioned against it. He closed his mouth, and nodded before replying "Yes ma'am"  
____________________

Foster Farrell VI had slept very little last night. Every time he closed his eyes, he was haunted by those he loved, hurt, and lost. He was used to seeing Elon, silent – his sad and sweet eyes always brought him to tears. He'd grown so accustomed to seeing his Ma, he didn't feel like it was haunting - just Lady Ray stopping by to give him hell….not even death could keep her from it.

But for the first time his Fa came to him, walking beside him on a hunt. That look of pride he hadn't seen since he passed on warming his heart. They were on an Elk when Foster V fired his arrow as the animal bolted into the tree's. They gave chase, following the trail of blood. They found the Red Wolf, unmoving with an arrow threw his heart. Turning to his son, Foster V said "I done this Son, it weren't your fault. Be we've defied the mountain too long and the cost is too high – you gotta do what's right"

Foster sat up fast, his heart pounding and his head spinning. His Fa seemed to be close enough to touch, and he felt love pushing through all the pain and hate. Foster VI closed his eyes, trying to keep Foster V with him. His Fa loved him without conditions and chose him over all else – even his Ma and the mountain. It had been a long time since he let himself recall the Red Wolf and what his Fa had done.

"What's the right thing Fa?" He asked aloud, sitting on his bed "I'm alone and I've lost my place here – I don't know what to do!" He wasn't able to keep his Fa with him, a whole opening up in his heart. He picked up a jug of Farrell Wine and drank until he couldn't stay awake.

Trevor Shay, Barnabis McGintuck, Levon Farrell, Tice Farrell, Elon Farrell, Enoch Shay, Lady Ray Farrell, Trevor Shay, Barnabis McGintuck, Levon Farrell, Tice Farrell, Elon Farrell, Enoch Shay, Lady Ray Farrell, Trevor Shay, Barnabis McGintuck, Levon Farrell, Tice Farrell, Elon Farrell, Enoch Shay, Lady Ray Farrell,

Foster VI heard a voice saying the names of his kin over and over, he threw his hands over his ears and opened his eyes to see Asa standing in his doorway.

"You know you've killed more of your clan than the outsiders have? Then there's my Ma Caitie and Foster's Ma Fiona….souls and spirits crushed until they were empty shells….." Asa paused, moving to the foot of his father's bed "I suppose we should count them too"

Foster sat up, staring at his son – unable to speak. This is your chance to say you're sorry he thought, this was his chance to do the right thing – but couldn't bring himself to speak.

"You can stop this, all you have to do is get out of the way" Asa pleaded "You don't have to help, just let it happen. Let my brother lead the clan out of this without the burden of fighting his own Fa weighing on him."

"Asa" Foster said, finding his voice "I'm sorry, truly sorry for what I done to you. I should've told you when you first come back to us…"

"I was called back" Asa interrupted "The mountain called me back, and she charged me with protecting our clan. I do not take my charge lightly and I will carry out my duty. I love you Foster, always have, but you will do no more harm to this clan."

Foster put his head in his hands and took a deep breath. When he looked up again, the Red Wolf was standing Asa's place – looking at him with Asa's eyes. Inside his head, Asa's voice pleaded "Do what's right Foster"

Foster woke with a start, his heart pounding and his head spinning. He staggered to his feet and stumbled outside, leaning over the porch railing to vomit.

Foster stood and tried to catch his breath, leaning against the cabin for support. He felt hot tears streaking down his face, and a loud sob escaped from his throat. He slid down, sitting on the porch – his head spinning as he began to sob violently.  
____________________

Stubby was walking through how circle worked with the visitors.

"The Elders will call to order and the keeper of the Aird will ring the bell to begin circle." Stubby explained "The circle can be run by either The Bren'in or The Elders - the keeper starts by handing the Aird off to the highest member who tells everybody why the circle is called"

"What's an Aird?" Asked Dru

"It's a smaller version of the Oak the Bren'in carries" Joyce explained "Aird means attention or respect in Gaelic – whomever holds the Aird at circle has the floor and gets to be heard."

"I talked with the Bren'in last night, he wants to start off hearing the ordinary clan grievances before he opens it up to Ledda and Joy" Stubby said "So he'll start with old business and move on to new business. That's when Joy can speak on how you folks can help and draw Ledda in to call out Big Foster"

"What if Big gets the Aird before Ms. Joyce?" Hasil asked

"That'd probably be good" Stubby responded "Bren'in could shut him down on banishing Joy or kicking the rest of the folks out."

"So if the Bren'in starts with old business" Hasil observed "they'll probably be less folk around when he gets to Ms. Joyce"

Stubby nodded "That's my hope, less rowdiness to deal with"

"So we'll need to know as much as possible so we can form some strategic goals and a sound tactical approach…." Dru started, and stopped realizing he was lapsing into AFOSI speak. "We need to hope for the best, but plan for the worst."

"Last circle we talked about what to do about the coal company ended with me and some of the boys breaking up fights and throwing folks out" Stubby explained "Lil Foster got so mad he snapped The Oak and G'win got so upset birthing came on…..don't suppose it can get any worse than that."

"Let's just talk layout, who is on who, escape routes, and rally points." Claire said "There are two many wild cards to get too technical on this."

"Agreed" Dru responded "And everybody comes along, we can't afford to have any separation if we need to use rally points."

"I need to spend some time with Emelye before Circle starts" Joyce said "She is the clan historian and I need some information"

"Alright" Dru agreed "Let's get to work. Once we have a plan, we'll check in with the team in Louisville and bring them up to speed"  
____________________

Emelye greeted Joyce warmly and welcomed her into her cabin. "Sit Joy, can I get you some Mountain Tea?"

"That sounds good Em, thank you." Joyce replied

The two ladies sat and visited for awhile "My girls both married McGintucks, so I see them a few times each year. Lou passed with Cairn was baby, he took sick and just couldn't shake it."

"I'm so sorry Em." Joyce said, reaching out and squeezing her hand

"We had a good life, though I doubt as exciting as yours" Emelye replied

"Excitement is over rated" Joyce said with a smile "Em, I wanted to talk to you about something. What can you tell me about the Red Wolf?"

"Well, the Red Wolf is the leader of Wyleth-Clannin and the protector of the mountain." Emelye explained "Legend says the mountain chooses our strongest and smartest to inhabit the Red Wolf."

Emelye rose and went to a rack of tapestries in the corner of the room. Pulling one from the rack, she tacked it to the wall and beckoned Joyce to join her

"The Red Wolf protects the mountain from those from outside that would do harm, but also from those within the clan who would do harm." Emelye explained – pointing to the images on tapestry. "Protecting us from those within the clan is the most important duty of the Red Wolf, to maintain our harmony – that is why for so long no Farrell had ever killed another. He hasn't been seen in a long time…Joy, why are you asking me about this?"

Joyce hesitated but knew she had to share "When I was about 13 summers – the Red Wolf came for Foster VI."

Emelye gasped "Then how …."

"My Fa interrupted the hunt, he killed the Red Wolf to save Foster." Joyce explained "Fa couldn't let him take Foster, then he was afraid they'd both would be banished if anyone found out."

"That was the night your Morai brought you to my Ma? When your neck was bruised?" Em asked

Joyce nodded "Yes, that was the night."

Em sat down heavily "Lord Joy! All that has come to pass…"

"Was set in motion that day" Joyce agreed quietly "I intend to let the truth be known at circle today. If harmony is to return to Shay Mountain – my brother has to go"  
\--------------------

Judd Fults had joined the ACLU team in the hotel suite they were using for offices. They were kind enough to offer him a place to nap. He had been staking out the airport all night, and needed to get some rest before driving back to Blackburg. Matt Meyers had not shown up for his flight. Wade obtained a warrant for information by embellishing the missing persons report to state Matt was in danger. There had been no credit card transactions since he stopped for gas on the way out of Blackburg, but the cell phone location hadn't been received yet,

Kat called Wade with an update "Mary Beth made it here safely, we have all the video downloaded" she explained "There is a shit ton of information to review, but we should be able to get through all of it today."

"Okay, then what?" Wade asked

"We start putting the pieces together" she replied "The team on the mountain should be coming down tomorrow and Taeson should have the files and samples back from West Virginia. We combine all the evidence compiled and put together an articulate case – the goal is to get before a grand jury"

"I need to find Meyers." Wade said

"He can still be indicted, even if you can't locate him." Kat assured

"I know, but have this dream of actually shoving the indictment down his throat" Wade replied "so I gotta find him."

Kat smiled "Whatever keeps you motivated"

"Can you tell Judd to call me when he gets on the road?" Wade asked

"I'll do it Wade, hang in there – I think we are days away from making this happen." Kat replied

Three hours later, Judd Fults was almost halfway back to Blackburg. It was a pretty drive when the sun was out and you weren't driving like a bat out of hell.

Coming through a series of curves, Judd noticed tire treads in the road and skid marks. He didn't know how old they were – but he figured he ought to stop and just take a look. Pulling over to the side of the road, he stepped out of his vehicle and checked out the tire tread and skid marks. Judd got a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. He took out his flashlight and shined it down the ravine, he could see a vehicle upside down. He moved the light to see if he could catch the license plate. Letting out a breath, pulled out his phone to call Wade.

"Yeah Judd" Wade answered

"Wade…..I think I found Meyers" Judd replied


	33. Chapter 33

<

Wade watched the team from the County Coroner's office struggle up the embankment carrying the body bag. He never thought he'd have to resist the urge to punch a dead guy in the face, what was left of it. It took everything he had to restrain himself. There was some consolation in the fact that Meyers was mauled by animals, but Wade still wished he'd had a chance to slam a cell door in that smug pricks face.

Looking around the accident scene, Wade saw that Judd was still in the process of marking evidence.

"You find a cell phone?" Wade asked

"Yeah" Deputy Fults responded "In the vehicle. Take a look at that tire rim, something ain't right here"

They approached the vehicle and Judd continued "See how the sides of the rim are intact, but there's a hole in the center? And the metal is pushed out like something from inside the rim blew it out."

Wade looked at it carefully and commented "Yeah, if he'd hit something that came up through the tire, it would be pushed the metal toward the inner rim." Reaching out, he touched the torn metal "something pretty powerful made this hole. Any pieces of it laying around?"

"Yeah, found a couple up by the road and a few down the here so far." Judd replied

"Bag his cell phone and a few pieces of the rim" Wade instructed "I'm gonna get some tests run. Maybe he was running from somebody other than us"  
__________________________________________

Kat and Arlene were regrouping after the news of Matt Meyers death. Wade called and told them to be careful, there was something suspicious about the accident. The Louisville security team thought it was best to change hotels as a precaution.

Mary Beth was settled just down the hall, they'd both interviewed her and felt they had all the information she could provide. Mary Beth also let them know that West Virginia wasn't Haylie's project – but she had been called to provide some sort of support. Harvey Scott, who ran the project for One Planet, retired and disappeared. Haylie helped set up damage control and turned it over to Buck Anderson after being there a week. They had investigators looking into both men.

"So….today's projects are finishing the Josh Chronicles and cross referencing Haylie's Calendar with the recording dates to prioritize and catalogue the files" Kat said "All super fun activities…do you have a preference?

Arlene smiled "Like I really get a choice? Cross reference, prioritize, and catalogue is your crack! I'll happily take the Josh Chronicles."

Kat fast clapped "Yay! You do love me!"

"You are such a weirdo" Arlene replied, shaking her head

"I know!" Arlene responded "And I embrace it – it's the secret to my happiness."

Arlene's phone rang, it was Dru calling "Speaking of your happiness…..its Dru." She said, answering and putting the phone on speaker "Hey Dru, you guys okay?"

"Hey Arlene – we're good." Dru replied "We are headed into the circle pretty quick here, just wanted to check in"

"Hey Babe" Kat said "good to hear your voice"

"Ditto, Sweetie." He replied

"There's been a new development. We changed hotels as a precaution" Kat explained

"What's going on?" Dru asked

"Matt Meyers snuck out of town last night, he'd bought a ticket to Mexico City." Arlene explained "It looked like he was on the run. He had a separate ticket from Mexico City to Havana"

Dru whistled….."I bet Wade went apeshit….."

"He wasn't happy to put it mildly." Kat replied "He didn't get away, but he's mad about that too."

"Time crunch ladies…" Dru reminded

"Meyers is dead. One person accident that Wade isn't so sure was accidental" Arlene shared

"Whoa….okay! It is good that you switched hotels then" Dru said "And you still have a security team?"

"Yeah, we're good." Arlene replied "We have plenty of work to do, so we shouldn't have a problem keeping our heads down"

"Good, you do just that. We'll touch base tonight to update you on this circle business" Dru promised "I'm optimistic that we'll be headed back down tomorrow."

"You guys be careful" Kat said "Love you"

"We will, love you too." Dru replied

"Alright" Arlene said "Lets pop some popcorn and get started on our weirdo entertainment"  
________________________________________________________

 

"Come on in Stubby" Lil Foster called

Stubby walked in and bowed "Bren'in, Krake passed word you wanted to see me."

"I do Cousin, I appreciate you coming by" Foster replied "Lets step out back"

The men walked out to the back porch. Foster sat and gestured for Stubby to join him.

"I need to talk to you about circle" Foster explained "I want to make you a Legate Bren'in"

"What? Foster, I can't go among them people and make sense of what …" Stubby protested

Foster put his hand up "Now hear me out Cousin. I ain't changed my intention to name Aintin Joy, but she's been gone a long time. I don't doubt her good intentions, but we need somebody all of the clan can get behind for this."

"I ain't never seen the sun set anywhere but this mountain" Stubby reminded him quietly

"It's easy to forget what's important to us when you step into that world, I know that from my time gone." Foster explained "She's been gone 40 years. I just want to make sure everything is given its proper weight in our dealings with these folks. Our lives depend on it."

Stubby took a deep breath and nodded "If you think its best, it'd be my honor."

Foster leaned forward and gripped Stubby's shoulder "Thank you Cousin, I know we can count on you. I got one more favor to ask….."

"What's that?" Stubby asked

"I don't know what my Fa's intentions are, I need to protect G'win." Foster said "This demon he's fighting, it lays blame for him not being Bren'in at her feet and means to do her harm. I can't let that happen."

Stubby nodded "I'll have Tiny look out for her, he'll keep her safe "  
____________________________________________________________________________

 

Big Foster was sitting on his porch when Phil'up walked up "Morning Foster"

"Morning Cousin" Big said, his tone somber

"Circle is starting shortly" Phil'up commented

Big Foster nodded but didn't respond. He took a deep breath, turned and looked away.

"Foster?" Phil'up asked, concerned "You feeling alright?"

"I don't rightly know Phil'up" he responded quietly

"I figured you'd be real fired up" Phil'up said

"I tell you boy, my heart is broke…..when I got a chance to come back, I said I was gonna right my wrongs and serve my family. I just brought more death. What I want more than anything is for this family to survive." Big Foster said "but it ain't all I want. I got a darkness in me, that wants that Oak no matter the cost. G'winveer – she helped me reason with it, helped me keep it at bay. Without her, it rules me"

Phil'up knew he was right, and that's why he had to get him to the circle "C'mon Cousin, I don't believe that. Your place is leading us, we gotta be ready when they come after our land – nobody see's that better than you!"

Foster stood abruptly "We ought to be learning to live in peace, not planning for war! A war we can't win, a war that would cost us everything…" he stopped, unsteady on his feet and laboring to catch his breath. He waved Phil'up off and leaned on the porch railing "You go on ahead, let me collect myself and I'll be along."

"I don't feel right going without you" Phil'up said

"You can't follow me this time" Big Foster said "I'm going, but just to make my goodbyes to the only son I got left. So long as I'm here can't be no peace, the right thing for me to do is leave the mountain."  
____________________________________________________

 

"Afternoon Arnie" Don Fushee said as he answered the phone "How are things at the office?"

"Going well Sir, we took care of the pest control issue" Arnie responded

"Thank you, appreciate that Arnie." Don answered

"If you don't have any further direction Mr. Fushee, I think my team should move on to the next assignment" Arnie replied "Things are pretty quiet here….."

"I got somebody coming down to take Hailey's place." Don replied "I'd like to get him settled first, then we'll get you out of there"

"Copy. Do you have anybody in mind?" He asked

"Jim Barkley. He's on a job in South America right now, but he'll be headed your way as soon as I can manage." Don said "He'll have boots on the ground in 48 hours at most."

"Alright. Anything you want us to do in the meantime?" Arnie responded

"Keep your ear to the ground. Try to keep a pulse on what the Sheriff is up to" Don ordered "And any information you can get on what going on with FEMA would help. Did you ever get anything on the ACLU team?"

"No, and the Farrell kid and his girl haven't been seen around town since they left the hospital" Arnie said "I have feelers out in Louisville, Lexington, Frankfort, and Cincinnati, no luck yet."

"Alright" Don said "Push on your contacts, I got a feeling them ACLU Lefties got something up there sleeve – can't see why they would rush them out of town otherwise."

"Understood sir, I'll make finding them a priority." Arnie replied  
_______________________________________________________

 

Once Stubby returned from visiting the Bren'in, he let them know the change of plans for Legate Bren'in. Joyce was relieved, it wasn't something she was looking forward to doing alone. He explained the concern for G'win and his promise to protect her. Dru made changes to the plan based on Tiny needing to watch out for G'win, Millie was now joining his group as a guide. Lil Foster wanted them to wait in the square until he sent for them, he wanted to address the clan before the group spoke. The team was gathered in the square, outside the barn waiting for word.

The news crew was filming outside, but would only record audio inside to avoid getting Lil Foster on camera.

Hasil walked around, saying hello to different cousins he hadn't seen in a spell as they drifted in and out of the barn – he thought it would help let his kin know that these folks helped him and were here to help all of them.

Micah Farrell walked up as Hasil finished visiting with Cornbread and his wife. "Hey Cousin!" He said, clapping Hasil roughly on the back "Sure am glad you to see you back, we heard you was pushing up daisies!"

Micah probably tied Big Foster for both least favorite cousin and biggest asshole in the family. He and Hasil had tussled more than a few times.

"Appreciate it Micah." Hasil said "I'm glad to be back too"

"Who are all them fancy ladies you brought back with you?" Micah said, gesturing toward Claire

"They're gonna help with the coal company" Hasil explained guardedly "They're good people"

"She the one manhandled Big?" Micah asked

"Yep" Hasil replied, smiling at the thought of Claire dressing him down "You want to meet her?"

"Nah" he responded "last thing I need's a woman who can kick my ass. How bout that pretty lil thing sitting next to Millie"

Hasil replied tersely "That's my girl, Sally Ann."

"She's something to look at!" Micah said with a leering grin "When you're done with her…."

"Micah, you better shut your damn mouth – less you want to lose the 3 or 4 teeth you got left in your head" Hasil snapped, trying to keep his promise to Sally Ann not to fight anybody – though it wouldn't be much of a fight.

"You ain't gotta be so touchy Cousin" Micah said "I'm just funning, I didn't mean nothing by it"

"You know I ain't one to listen to you trash talk women folk" Hasil snarled "And you sure as hell ain't gonna talk about my woman like that. Get the hell away from me, it's bad luck to spill blood at circle."

Hasil stormed off in the direction of Sally Ann and the ACLU team. As he approached, Sally Ann could clearly see he was agitated.

"Lord" Millie commented "Micah's got Hasil riled up."

"Who?" Sally Ann asked

Millie shook her head "You got one of them cousins that has a filthy mouth? Who's always saying things he's got no business saying?"

Sally Ann smiled knowingly and nodded "My cousin Reggie"

"Micah is our Reggie, and Hasil don't tolerate his mouth well." Millie explained

"You okay?" Sally Ann asked as Hasil joined them

"Yeah, I shoulda just said thank you and walked away." Hasil explained "Anytime I talk to that jackass it don't take but a minute for him to ask to be punched in the mouth."

"It's bad luck to spill blood at circle" Millie reminded him

"Yes ma'am, that and my promise to Sally Ann's the only reason he ain't laying in the dirt." Hasil replied

"What did he say?" Sally Ann asked

"He was asking about you and Claire, and it ain't what he said it's what he meant" Hasil responded

"Huh? I don't understand….." Sally Ann replied

"Never mind – I ain't wasting another breath on him" Hasil said  
_____________________________________________________________

Krake walked out and signaled for them to come in. Dru spoke to the group once more before heading in "Remember, stay close to your group and if you hear myself or Claire shout rally – get out and get to your rally points."

The room fell silent as the group walked in, led by Hasil and Joyce.

Looking around, Claire didn't see Big Foster anywhere. Turning, she caught Dru's eye to be sure he noticed the same thing. He nodded – Phil'up, but no Big Foster.

Hasil and Joyce stopped in front of the stage and bowed to Foster VIII.

The keeper moved forward and handed Hasil the Arid.

"Thank you for hearing us Bren'in." Hasil started

"We're glad to have you back among us Cousin." He replied "Tell us about the folks with you"

"Well I think everybody knows by now this lady next to me is Foster Farrell VII, Lady Ray's daughter." Hasil said "The other folks are with a group called the ACLU – they protect folks rights and liberties and we got some folks from the news. They can help us protect the mountain and our rights to it, and get our story out."

"What can these folks do against the Coal Company?" Asked Krake

"The law says certain steps have to be taken before the state can give away the coal rights on this land, and they didn't follow those steps appropriately" Joyce explained "They also are not supposed to favor one side over another – but they worked closely with the coal company – and at least one official sought personal profit and favors from them."

"If you allow us to represent you, we can take the state and the coal company to court." Ellis explained "We can get an order to make them stop what they are doing, make them do it the right way. But this time you would be represented and have your rights respected. If we can show the state and the coal company acted improperly and criminally – which I believe we can, there is a good chance we can get the mountain designated as State Protected Land."

"What does that mean?" Emelye asked

"Lands can be designated protected for Natural, Ecological, or Cultural value." Ellis responded "Preserving Shay Mountain and your culture and way of life fits that criteria. I truly believe we can stop this, and we can do it peacefully. We can stop it forever."

"How do we know we can trust you?" Foster VIII asked

"I trust them" Hasil said "and we ain't got no other means of defending the mountain. I been to war with them, and we can't win – they'd kill us all and blow up the mountain to get to the coal if they thought they could get away with it. Matter of fact, they probably drew us into that fight hoping to do just that."

G'win spoke next "It can't be as easy as saying yes, they ain't gonna deal with us when our Bren'in is a wanted man."

"I believe we can take care of that also" Ellis said "You've met Sheriff Houghton? He has proof that your Bren'in didn't kill Breece Dobbs. And I've seen the reports that he were being harassed in prison and footage of the fight – we have a clear case for self defense. His only crime is escaping from prison. With the evidence that a corrupt official was behind pushing his imprisonment, we get the other charges dismissed and leverage a pardon for the escape."

Joyce stepped forward "Bren'in, though I left a long time ago – I love this mountain and I love my family. I wouldn't be here, and neither would Hasil, if this wasn't the right thing to do. Nobody else has to die."

"She's right" Big Foster said walking forward as the crowd parted. He stopped and bowed to Foster VIII in respect "We can't afford to spill no more of our blood. I may have my differences with my sister, but she wants what's best for the mountain. You do this; you bring peace back to the mountain. I'll leave to make sure it stays that way."


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34

The crowed quieted with the arrival of Big Foster. Whatever the clan expected him to say at circle today, it certainly wasn't this. Claire moved closer to Hasil and Joyce, her eyes locked on Big Foster.

"You do this, you bring peace back to the mountain." He declared "I'll leave to make sure it stays that way"

Foster VIII looked at his Fa – back straight, eyes clear, but his hands shaking. He wasn't sure what to make of this turn of events, but he knew that while this Big Foster was making his presence known – it was only a matter of time or circumstance before the darkness returned.

"You asking to be banished?" He asked Big Foster

"No, I'll leave of my own accord" Big Foster replied "I'm in the way of peace, so I'll go for the good of the clan. But this is my home, I hope to come back someday."

Everyone seemed to be at a loss, this was not how they expected this to go. But Joyce knew that he couldn't come back.

She turned to her brother "You can't come back Foster. You're wanted for the murder of 4 of their people. Any deal we make won't stand if the clan harbors you."

"They ain't gotta know how I'm gone, just that I'm gone." Foster replied, his voice taking on an edge. Turning to Foster VIII, he said "I'm trying to do the right thing here Son. But I ain't done nothing to deserve to be banished. I give everything I got to this family…."

G'win couldn't stand to hear anymore, she stood "You have taken far more than you've given. Seven members of this clan dead by your hand or fault! You are a curse to this family, there is blood on everything you touch!"

Ellis caught Dru's eye. This was not going to plan so far, and could quickly get out hand. Dru leaned over and whispered to Sally Ann "We may be leaving."

Big Foster narrowed his eyes and replied to G'win "What about the blood on your hands Miss high and mighty? You brung the Kinnah among us, brought them right into the heart of our village – and 3 of our kin dead for it!"

"That's enough" Foster VIII bellowed , knowing that G'win could set Big Foster off "These folks have the Arid, I ain't gonna allow this circle to sink into mayhem!" Turning to G'win he said firmly "Sit down." Turning back to Big Foster he said "You'll get a chance to speak, and you'll be treated fair. But right now, sit down."

The clan, used to the gentle giant, stared at Foster VIII in shock. There was a new Bren'in in town.  
__________________

Kat had gone through Haylie's calendar and prioritized names of interest. She hooked up the camera to her laptop to cross reference it with the files on the Zip drive to the files on the camera hard drive.

"We are going to need to talk to Josh" Arlene said "There are a few passages here that require translation – mostly for context."

"What are you seeing?" Kat asked as she worked to get the camera on the team Wi-Fi hotspot.

"A new series called Orange is the New Power Suit" Arlene said with a smile "Staring the Lt. Governor and several coal company minions."

"Just minions?" Kat asked

"Mr. Don Fushee is pretty slick, he doesn't talk much and wasn't at very many of these meetings" Arlene said "We are going to have a hard time…."

"Whoa! What the?!" Kat exclaimed "Something is downloading to the camera from a cloud!"

Arlene jumped up and hurried over "Should we try to stop it – what if it's a virus?"

" I don't know! We already have all the files on a Zip drive, it's too late for that" Kat explained

"At least disconnect it from your computer so it can't transfer anything" Arlene warned

"They are on the same Wi-Fi network, if someone is savvy enough to do something like that – disconnecting won't stop them. " Kat argued, reaching for her phone "Turn the Wi-Fi off on all your devices"

Arlene turned the Wi-Fi off on her computer and phone "Done"

"Once it's done, I'll turn off the hotspot and see what we have" Kat said "When I read up on the camera, it did say you could record remotely and save the file to a cloud. There is the option to keep it on the cloud or download it to the camera. Let's just hope it's a friendly file….."

"Mary Beth said she took the camera when Haylie wasn't in at 7am the next day" Arlene reminded her "So how could this be a friendly file?"

Kat went into the camera settings and clicked on cloud sync. "It's set to sync every 48 hours. Last Sync was 8AM the day Haylie died, and Mary Beth removed the camera at 7AM the day after."

"So that means…" Arlene said quietly

Kat nodded "Yeah…..if this is a friendly file, it was recorded within the last 24 hours of her life"  
_________________________

When Wade arrived back in Blackburg, he dropped the pieces of tire rim by the lab with instructions to call him as soon as something came back. Then he headed over to Donnie's place. He waited outside until Donnie was alone and then walked in and locked the door.

"Hey Wade" Donnie said "What brings you by my establishment on this ….…"

Wade cut him off "Hey, I um…..I need some help with a phone"

"You sure it's okay for me to be doing this Wade? I mean is it legal and all?" Donnie asked "Lotta Feds running around town nowadays"

"If ever you get arrested, I'm sure you'll roll on me to save yourself" Wade asked "So that means you got nothing to worry about."

Donnie inclined his head "Good point! Whatcha got?"

Wade handed him the phone. "I don't want you going through it, I just need the password disabled or reset"

"Step into my office" Donnie said, leading Wade to the back "What you got here is a Samsung Galaxy, looks like a 6 – older model. That's good news, cause it's been hacked to hell and back. I'm betting I can get it open in about 10 minutes"

"That's great" Wade said "Can you do it without making my head hurt? And so nobody can tell it's been hacked?"

"The latter, most def" Donnie replied "The former – no guarantee, but I will put forth an effort!"

Wade pinched to bridge of his nose, and thought to himself – it will be worth it if I can figure out who was after Meyers.

Donnie started humming the melody to Mandy by Barry Manilow, and Wade realized this was going to be the longest 10 minutes of his life.  
______________________________

Arnie was coming up empty in his search. He checked in with his sources in Louisville, and no sign of the Farrell kid, his girlfriend, or anybody who walked them out of the hospital. It isn't likely that they left Kentucky, so it's possible they could be in safe house somewhere in Louisville. Another possibility is that they went up Shay Mountain.

Arnie made a call "Yeah boss" Hank answered

"I need a guy to head up to Louisville to do some surveillance." Arnie said "Who can you free up?"

"With Mary Beth gone, Sam is free" Hank replied "I can send him up."

"Mary Beth is gone?" Arnie asked

"Yeah. Sam's been fooling around with Emma, the other girl who works there." Hank responded "She told him Mary Beth said she was taking some time off, that Haylie Grimes death was really getting to her"

Coincidence? Arnie thought to himself…Farrell kid and his ACLU posse disappears, then Mary Beth suddenly gets overwhelmed? Haylie had turned into a mountain sympathizer, did she turn her secretary?

"Where did she go?" Arnie asked

"Supposedly home to see her family in New Orleans" Hank said "What's wrong boss?"

"Just a hunch, but could be nothing" Arnie responded. "Get Sam up to Louisville, I'll give him instructions once he gets there. Do you think his girl can get you Mary Beth's emergency contact information from her personnel file? Can she keep her mouth shut?"

"Sure, she's always bitching about Mary Beth from what I understand. I don't think she'll feel the need to say anything to her." Hank explained

"Alright" Arnie said "Text me the info when you get it."

Arnie decided to do a little digging before he called Don, chances are she is visiting family – but Arnie didn't believe in leaving things to chance.  
____________________________

Big Foster stood unmoving, eyes locked with Foster VIII. The war inside his head was deafening, but he knew only he could hear it. The silence around them was thick as he clenched his fists in an effort to maintain control. He closed his eyes and let out the breath he was holding. Opening his eyes, he looked at his son and with a slight nod said "As you wish Bren'in"

The clan stared in awe, they'd never seen Big Foster silenced.

Foster VIII addressed those present "Our survival rests on the decisions we must make in the next few hours. We will hear these folks out. I will hear you out. Then I will gather my counsel and we will decide the best way forward." Turning to Joyce he said "Y'all still have the Aird…..please…" and gestured for them to continue.

"Thank you Bren'in" Joyce said "We've explained how we can help, we just need your permission – your trust – your faith to do it. I know what everyone thinks of outsiders, I grew up hearing the same stories. But there are good people down there, people who are on our side and fighting for the mountain."

Joyce gestured for Ledda to come forward. "This is Ledda Dobbs, she runs a group called Mountain Witness, ordinary citizens dedicated to saving Shay Mountain."

Ellis encouraged Ledda, whispering "We're right here."

Ledda stepped forward and took a deep breath "Good afternoon. I grew up in Blackburg. I've seen Shay Mountain every day of my life. I've lost, loved, healed, laughed and borne children in the protection of its shadow. There are a lot of people blinded by greed who believe the mountain needs to be torn apart to provide for us. But many more understand that when they start to tear the mountain apart, it tears apart everything around it – down below and up here. My husband died on this mountain. From what I understand, he was shot in the head while two men held him." Ledda closed her eyes, doing her best to keep the tears at bay.

Joyce whispered "Its okay Ledda, I can….."

"No." Ledda said "I'm okay" turning to Big Foster she said "You murdered my husband. His name was Breece Dobbs. He heard those boys were coming up here to make trouble, and he came after them. To stop them. I wish every day he would have let them get what they deserved. But that wasn't Breece, he didn't want to see them harm anybody or any harm come to them. We have two daughters that are crushed and miss there daddy every minute of every day."

Her voice caught and she put her hand over her mouth and closed her eyes again. She could feel Joyce on one side of her and Ellis on the other as she focused on maintaining control. All of a sudden, she felt a calmness come over her…..the same calm she felt when the boy visited her. She opened her eyes to see the same boy standing with Big Foster. She stared for a moment, and then he was gone.

"I'm sorry" Big Foster said "Truly …"

Ledda found her voice, and it was strong and clear. She spoke over him. "I didn't come here for an apology. I came here because I love this mountain. I came here to try to help save this mountain. I came here to honor my husband. I came here because I wanted to look you in the eye and tell you what you stole from me and my children. I came here for justice." Ledda stopped, feeling her power surging from her gut "But nothing will bring Breece back, nothing will ease the pain of his loss, the only justice is in saving this mountain - making sure his death wasn't in vain."

Turning to Foster VIII and the elders, she continued "There are people in Blackburg who want to help save Shay Mountain – you are not alone, and you shouldn't try to fight this alone. Let us help. Please."

Foster VIII gestured for the council to come close and they whispered amongst themselves.

Emelye stood and announced "We will adjourn for dinner and start again in one hour. The visitors still have the Aird"

Ellis turned to Joy, confused at the abrupt ending "Did they just call a recess?"  
____________________________________

Millie brought food for the group to eat.

The sat together as Ledda explained why she didn't call for a circle. "The more I talked the more I felt it…." In her mind's eye, she saw the boy again "It just felt like revenge. And that's not me. I had every intention of going through with it. I thought…"

Joyce interrupted, squeezing her hand "You don't owe us an explanation Ledda, Breece was your husband – the decision was yours to make."

"What do you thinks going on with Big Foster?" Hasil asked Stubby "I ain't ever seen him act like that."

"I don't rightly know" Stubby answered "He's been full of piss and vinegar all his life. Seems like a funny time to make a change."

"Do you think he has something planned?" Dru asked

"It's hard to tell" Stubby replied "I'm starting to think he ain't right in the head"

"I think he is struggling with something" Joyce commented "What I don't know, but he is obviously conflicted. But I think it's important to our cause to say he will not be harbored here. That means banishment."

"And if we are gonna get right with The Mountain, it must be banishment" Millie said "We can't continue to chose mans will over the will of the mountain."

"Will Emelye tell the Bren'in about the Red Wolf?" Stubby asked, looking at Joyce

"We didn't discuss that, so I can't be sure." Joyce replied "But if banishment is what we seek, bringing that to circle is our only means."

Sally Ann caught Hasil's attention and mouth "bathroom"

"Scuse us" Hasil said, standing and offering Sally Ann a hand

"You alright?" Hasil asked as they walked hand in hand toward the outhouse

"Yeah, it wasn't as bad as I thought" she answered "But Dru did tell me at one point that we might be leaving"

"That wasn't nothing, when they start talking and keep talking about him being banished - he ain't gonna be able to keep his head" Hasil explained

"He seemed to be trying..."Sally Ann started

"Trying to do things his way is all he's trying to do - but that's done now." Hasil said firmly "Circle starts again, and Big Foster is gonna be backed into a corner. Dru says leave, and you leave. Nothin's more dangerous than a cornered animal"  
_____________________________

Mary Beth, Lena, and Kat all sat staring at her laptop.

"So Haylie didn't mention anything about files she kept on a cloud?" Lena asked

"Nothing." Mary Beth replied "She just said to take it if she didn't show up at her normal time, so I did."

"We have the Zip drive" Kat says "So if we open it, and it corrupts my computer – thereby ruining my life – we still have all the files you downloaded."

Mary Beth looked at her phone, it was a friend from work. "Its Emma from work. Oh my God, she said Corporate Security is asking for my emergency contact information!"

Kat and Lena looked at each other. Not good…..

"Does she say why?" Kat asked

"No, just that she got a weird request." Mary Beth replied, her voice shaky "She just wants to know if I'm okay and if she should stall."

"You told them you were going to visit your mom, right?" Lena asked

Mary Beth nodded and Lena continued "That's why we had you park your car at the airport and use your credit card there. Call you mom right now. Tell her you're interviewing for another job and don't want your employer to know. That if they call, you're not home right now."

Mary Beth stood and stepped into the kitchenette to call her mother

"Why would they be looking for her?" Kat asked "Do you think downloading this file triggered something?'

"I don't think so" Lena said "If they knew about this, they would have been looking for it immediately. And Mary Beth would have been the prime suspect in taking it. They wouldn't have waited this long to come after her."

"Why then?" Kat asked

"I don't know, but we have to get our own security team involved." Lena replied

Mary Beth returned "Okay, she'll do it. I told her to let me know if they call and what they say"

"Good" Kat replied "Text your friend back and tell her you're fine and its okay to give them the info."

"Why would they be looking for me?" She asked as she replied

"Its probably just a precaution, you were closet to Haylie at work." Lena said "You're safe here"

"Alright, let's look at this file and potentially but hopefully not crash my computer" Kat said

They gathered around as Kat clicked on the file. They were greeted by a very tired looking Haylie on the screen.

"So I've called every lab within 300 miles now, nobody will test the samples I brought back from Shay Mountain." Haylie said, emotionally "I'm not sure what my recourse is other than going directly to the DOJ myself. This is not how I wanted my career to end, I've sacrificed so much for One Planet. But I can't be a part of this."

In the background they could hear the room door open. Haylie's face showed surprise as she turned and Matt Myers and another man came into her room. "How the hell did you get in here?!" She shouted and the camera turned off.

The three of them sat quietly for a moment. Lena finally broke the silence "This proves Matt Meyers broke into her hotel room the night she died….."

"But who is that other man? He looks familiar." Kat said

"That's Arnie Wilkes, head of our Corporate Security Team in Kentucky." Mary Beth said, voice trembling "The man that's looking for me!"


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter 35 - Happy Mothers day ladies!

As promised, Donnie was able to get into Meyers phone within 10 minutes. As imagined, it was the longest 10 minutes of Wade's life.

"Got it!" Donnie exclaimed as he unlocked the home screen "Whoa…..you got trouble my friend."

"What?" Wade asked, moving in to look at the phone

"He's got the Confide APP on here." Donnie explained "It's an APP used for texting, it automatically destroys everything after its read – for both users. Mission impossible style – they all self-destruct. You can't forward, save, or screenshot – it's a friend to criminals far and wide."

"What about email?" Wade asked, seething that Meyers was still pissing him off from the grave

"I don't see any APP's that interfere with email" Donnie replied "Let's get into the settings and turn off the sync"

"Why would you do that?" Wade responded "I want to see…."

"You don't have much experience tampering with evidence, do you?" Donnie commented "If it syncs it'll show email accessed, and I'm guessing the phone owner ain't in a position to access anything if you have the device?"

Wade nodded "Right. Any other criminal tips for me?"

"Not technically being an actual criminal" Donnie replied "I can share what I've learned through some associations. We probably ought to turn off the location settings and cloud services too. I can reset the password for you, it'd be best if it's something the owner would've used"

"Alright" Wade said looking over his shoulder "his street number was 1955, that work?"

"Its 6 digits, so I'll use that plus the year. 195518, done." Donnie said "Now, looking at memory use, he has quite a bit of space taken up by Notes. While you're poking around in there, that might be a good place to look." Donnie took a cloth and wiped the phone down, then handed to Wade. "Here ya go Sheriff, all set"

"Thanks Donnie, I appreciate it" Wade responded

"Just fulfilling my civic duty" Donnie replied "You're one of the good guys Wade"

Sitting in his squad car, Wade opened the Notes App on the phone. Despite taking up a large amount of space on the phone, there was only one note – titled OP. One Planet. Wade opened the App and began scanning the information. It was a series of dates, times, and possibly initials. Wade started the car. He wanted to get back to the station and cross reference the information in the notes with Meyers calendar and try to come up with a lead.

____________________________________

Emelye approached the group as they were finishing lunch.

"Bren'in is ready to get started again." She announced "But only kin, we believe we have what we need to decide about outsider help. What's left is family business. We ask that the rest wait out here"

Claire started to respond, sitting across from her, Dru could see by the look on her face it wouldn't be good. He held up his hand to stop her and replied to Emelye "Can you give us a few minutes?"

"Of course" Emelye nodded, turning to head back to the barn

"NO!" Claire whisper-shouted as soon Emelye was out of ear shot "That psycho is on the edge of sanity, and he will not go over the cliff by himself!"

"We gotta see this through" Hasil said "He ain't gonna be banished without Joyce in there to tell the story of the Red Wolf."

"That's what makes it risky" Dru responded "He seemed to direct his anger towards Joyce and G'wn. If Joyce is the catalyst for him being banished….."

"It's a risk we'll have to take" Joyce said "None of this works without him being banished. We have to have the moral high ground if we intend to save this mountain. We can't win against the state or One Planet any other way."

"This man has murdered 5 people – including his own mother" Claire stated flatly "I think the risk outweighs the reward in this situation. There is 100% certainty that he will shed more blood. Its insanity to go in there without protection!"

"Hasil and Joy are right, we gotta finish this. We'll protect her best we can" Stubby said "Y'all can sit outside and if you hear any ruckus, just come on in."

Claire looked at Dru and both acknowledged they had not choice, it wasn't like they could prevent them from going in. Turning to Stubby, she said forcefully "You stay between Foster and Joyce at all costs Stubby. He will take advantage of the slightest opening."

Stubby nodded "You got my word ma'am. He'll have to go through me to get to Joy."

"Alright then, lets walk through a plan B." Dru said

"We should only have essential personnel go in; Hasil should stay with the group." Claire commented

"How do you mean?" Hasil asked "I'm going in with Joy…"

"Hear them out Babe" Sally Ann asked

"It's better if we keep as many of us together as possible, less recovery in the event of an issue. We only need Joy to go in and someone to protect her." Dru explained "Anybody else is not….."

Hasil interrupted "I'm going, and if I get a chance I'll call the circle myself"

"You're recovering from a gunshot wound!" Sally Ann reminded him

"Yeah, I'm the lucky one." Hasil reminded them emotionally "Barnabis, Trevor, and Levon are dead." Taking Sally Ann's hand he said "I owe it to them and to Enoch to see him banished."

Sally Ann nodded, and then turned her head away – blinking back tears.

"Okay then, that's settled." Dru said "Joy, Hasil, and Stubby go in."

Claire shook her head, and thought to herself - two senior citizens and the walking wounding "Sure, why not!" She exclaimed, throwing up her hands "If total shit show is the goal, let's make it spectacular!"

_________________________________________

"This can't be a coincidence!" Mary Beth exclaimed "We find this footage and Wilkes is looking for me?"

"I think it is Mary Beth" Lena explained "If they knew about this, they would have been looking for it long before now."

"More than likely it's just that you left town yesterday" Kat added "You we're close to Haylie, so they just want to keep tabs on you. If they suspected you knew anything or had anything they would have been after you right after Haylie was killed."

Tears streaming down her face, Mary Beth responded loudly "Great! So I should be happy they are just now finding out that they need to kill me?"

"No!" Lena responded "You're safe Mary Beth, okay? They don't know about this video. If they did, they would have taken her computer that night."

Kat stood and wrapped her arm around Mary Beth "You've been so incredibly brave Mary Beth, working to make sure that Haylie receives justice. We are with you in this fight; nobody is going to hurt you. This isn't out first case, okay? We know what we are doing. Trust us, alright?

Mary Beth took a deep breath and searched each woman's eyes for assurance. Finally she nodded and quietly said "Alright. But I need to take a Valium and lay down. No offense, but it'll be easier to trust people I just met yesterday with my life while lightly sedated."

Lena smiled "I was going to suggest a Mimosa, but whatever works for you!"

"This is a no judgment zone Mary Beth." Kat responded, rolling her eyes at Lena "Come with me, we'll get you something cold and non-alcoholic to drink and you can lie down"

As Kat led Mary Beth to the bedroom, Lena picked up the phone to call Wade

__________________________________________

Wade arrived at the One Planet offices and asked to see Arnie Wilkes. After talking with Lena, they decided Wade would find out if he was in town and ask a couple questions about Meyers. Wade would try to gauge his reactions without spooking him. Lena would call Taeson and try to pull together enough information to get a sealed indictment and arrest warrant.

"Sheriff" Arnie said, extending his hand "what can I do for you?'

"Hey" Wade responded "You got someplace we can talk privately? I got some news to share with you."

"Sure" he replied "Come on in to the conference room". Arnie led the way, and gestured for Wade to have a seat. "Can I offer you a drink?"

"No, No thank you" Wade said, eyeing Arnie so he could catch is reaction. "Like I said, I got some news. I know One Planet worked close with the Emergency Management department – so I wanted to let you know that Matt Meyers is dead"

"What?!" Arnie said, looking shocked "When did that happen…..I just saw him…"

He is good – Wade thought to himself "He was driving to Louisville last night, looks like he blew a tire. He crashed and went down into a ravine"

"That's terrible!" Arnie said "Matt was a really great guy"

"So anyhow" Wade continued "I know y'all worked pretty close. Do you know if had any enemies or anybody after him?"

"That's an odd thing to ask" Arnie said "Do you think it wasn't an accident?"

"We ain't that far into investigating yet" Wade said, not wanting to tip his hand "But his leaving town sudden like that was strange. He told FEMA he was going to visit his mother."

"You don't believe that?" Arnie responded

"His mother is dead, died years ago" Wade replied "So it seems like he was maybe running from something or somebody. You notice him acting strange lately? Get any threats to One Planet that mentioned him?"

Arnie shook his head "No to both. Wish I could do more to help, but I really only saw Matt when Mr. Foushee was in town."

Wade nodded and stood to leave "Appreciate your time. You gonna be in town for the next few days? I might have more questions as we get deeper into it."

"I've actually being reassigned" Arnie replied, not wanting Wade to think he was skipping town "Will happen pretty quickly, but not sure where."

"One person accident is pretty easy to get through" Wade said "We'll get the car up to Louisville for forensics and likely be done in a day or two."

"Well feel free to stop by if I can help" Arnie said, extending his hand "I'm sure you have your hands full aiding FEMA in that investigation."

"The Feds don't much like local John Law sticking his nose in" Wade said, shaking Arnie's hand "You being One Planet security, I guess you should know this – I'm actually re-opening the Haylie Grimes case. I believe she was murdered."

"Murdered?" Arnie exclaimed "I thought it was ruled suicide?"

"Few things ain't adding up" Wade said "I can't get into details….."

"Come on Sheriff" Arnie urged "I'm responsible for the team's safety here. And Haylie died on my watch. If there was foul play, it would help me protect the rest of the team if I knew what happened"

"I don't think you need to worry" Wade replied "I think it was a dude she slept with, but if I get anything tangible I'll share what I can."

"I'd appreciate that Sheriff" Arnie said sincerely "I take the safety of our team very seriously"

Wade nodded "I'm sure you do Mr. Wilkes. I'll be in touch"

________________________________________

Joy, Hasil, and Stubby arrived to find The Elders assembled and waiting. Big Foster and Phil'up were there, but none of the other kin.

"Greetings Cousins" Foster said, welcoming them formally. "We have decided to accept your help."

Hasil and Joyce smiled at each other, relieved and excited that the clan would allow the ACLU to help.

Foster continued "I need to understand something before we share what's been decided with the clan"

Joyce nodded "I'll do my best to answer"

"Why do you believe my Fa needs to be banished?" Foster asked

Big Foster started to interrupt "Now wait, this ain't why….."

Foster put up his hand to interrupt "You'll have a turn to speak"

"We can win this fight, but it is going to be a battle. We need the moral high ground to succeed." Joyce explained "and we do not have that harboring a murderer."

"Ain't nobody brung me to circle!" Big Foster exclaimed "I ain't accountable to Lostie laws!"

Joyce saw her opening "What about clan law?"

"I stood circle for what I done to Ma" Foster said "You'd know that if you'd been here. I honor clan law!"

"If you honor clan law, you would've been gone long ago." Joyce spat "If you honored clan law, you wouldn't be standing here – the Red Wolf came for you! The mountain tried to banish you….would have banished you if Fa hadn't…"

Big Foster turned and moved toward Joy, and found himself face to face with Stubby. The room was silent. Finally stepping back, he looked at her and said "You got no right…you would sully Fa's name? For what?"

"To save this mountain" Joyce replied "Fa was a good man, if he was alive - seeing what you've become would break his heart"

Big Foster shook his head "You broke his heart the day you left. Wasn't much left of the man we knew growing up when he died."

"He gave me his blessing" Joyce responded quietly "He wanted me to be happy."

"Is it true?" G'win demanded, moving forward "The Red Wolf came for you?"

Big Foster and Joyce were locked in a silent battle of wills, neither answered G'win

"Joyce said her Fa came on the Red Wolf stalking Big Foster" Hasil interjected "He didn't want him to die, so he shot the Red Wolf…killed it. I believe her. The mountain sent the Red Wolf for him, to banish him. Bren'in, Elders, all respect - I'm calling Foster Farrell VI to circle for it."

Big Foster slowly backed away and turned to face the Elders. He was surprised to see Phil'up looking at him in shock.

"That true?" Phil'up asked, backing away from Big Foster toward the Elders "I followed you all this time, buried cousins for you, and you knowing full well you're the poison that's killing us?"

"Fa?" Foster asked "Is it true? Hasil called a circle, you gotta speak to it."

Big Foster looked around, blood pounding in his head, hands flexing. He looked at all the people around him – he could see their mouths moving – but the only voices he hears are the ones in his head. "They turned on me. Everyone of em, turned on me." The voices said.

Big Fosters eyes settled on G'win, standing next to Phil'up. "It's true. The Red Wolf was set on taking me and my Fa shot him down. He believed I deserved to live and the clan would need me someday. He sacrificed his soul to save me for this clan. I sacrificed my soul to be what he wanted me to be. All for nothing! You!" He screamed at G'win "Wouldn't stay in your place. You ruined me. You ruined everything!" The demon was firmly in control now, and without thinking he pulled out Lady Ray's Derringer from his waistband and raised it to fire at G'win.

"No!" Phil'up yelled, stepping between Big Foster and G'win as the gun went off. The bullet hit Phil'up in the chest, and he went down hard – falling back onto G'win.

Instinctively, Stubby moved toward Phil'up – that was the opening Big Foster needed. Punching Hasil in his left side, he grabbed Joyce by the hair. Hasil felt pain shoot through his wound and he yelled - dropping to the ground.

Big Foster put the gun to Joyce's head and shouted, dragging Joyce backward "I got one bullet left in here. Anybody follows me and I'll kill her!"


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36

"Sure, why not!" Claire exclaimed, throwing up her hands "If total shit show is the goal, let's make it spectacular!"

"Claire…."Dru warned

"Don't" She responded. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and pinched the bridge of her nose. She opened her eyes and found everyone staring at her. Turning to Joyce she said "If we can't have eyes in there, I want ears. We've come all this way for your cause and taken responsibility for your safety. At least give me that."

Joyce turned to Stubby "What do you think Stub?"

"How do you mean, ears?" He asked

"You've seen us talking to each other from a distance" Dru reminded "We have a device that Joyce could wear to let us hear what's going on, it would be hidden on her person. That way we can get in sooner if we're needed."

"I think that'll be alright, don't you Stubby?" Hasil added, hoping to ease Sally Ann's mind "It ain't much different than listening outside"

Stubby nodded "I reckon that'd be alright"

Claire turned and pointed at Ellis "Give me your ear piece"

\-------------------------------------------------

Claire jumped to her feet when Big Foster screamed "You!" Unsure of who he was talking to, she moved toward the door and motioned Teddy to cover the other side.

An unfamiliar voice yelled "No!"and a shot rang out.

"We're going in!" Claire said, touching her mic, motioning to Teddy to follow her lead.

"We're moving the group to cover." Dru replied "I don't get an all clear from you in 3 minutes, we'll move to the rally spot"

"Copy" Clair said, crouching low and moving into the position. They had non-lethal arms loaded with rubber bullets. Raising her gun, she nodded to Teddy and went in. Teddy followed closely. She saw Hasil and Phil'up laying on the ground. Hasil was breathing heavily, clearly in pain and Phil'up wasn't moving. Big Foster had Joyce by the hair with a small gun to her head

"I got one bullet left in here" Big Foster shouted, backing up and dragging Joyce with him "Anybody follows me and I'll kill her!"

In her ear, Claire could hear Teddy give Dru a situation report. "Hasil is down, alive. Phil'up is down, not moving. Big Foster has a gun to Joyce's head – looks like a derringer."

"Let her go!" Claire said, moving forward and to the left

"You don't want to do this!" Teddy said, moving to the right

"It's done. I won't be put in chains up here nor in no lostie prison!" Big Foster yelled "You'll take me over her dead body and mine. Don't follow me, or you'll be carrying her body back down the hill."

"Phil'up is dead." Stubby said angrily, he and Foster were standing in front of G'win and Emelye who were kneeling next to Phil'up

"That ain't my fault" Big Foster replied "He didn't have to do that!"

"You'll pay for this" Foster said to his father "All of it"

Big Foster slowly backed out, dragging Joyce with him. "I already have son"

\------------------------------------------------------

"Did you watch the video?" Lena asked

"I did." Taeson replied "That proves opportunity for both Meyers and Wilkes. As long as we can prove that One Planet and Meyers were behind poisoning Shay Mountain, we have motive."

"Mary Beth is really nervous" Kat advised "One Planet did call her Mom to see if she was in New Orleans"

"Can you keep her safe?" Taeson asked

"We have a security team with us, but I'd like you to consider protection for her once you get the indictment. Your West Virginia team have any luck?" Lena asked

"Luck does not play into my plan dearest. Skill and knowledge are my weapons of choice " Taeson replied "We should have and update within the hour."

"I just sent the Dropbox file link" Kat said "That's everything we have so far. I included what we sent earlier and I have it all categorized and cross referenced"

"I'll look through everything and call you back after I get the West Virginia report" Taeson promised "If we have everything we need I'll move for authorization to take this before a grand jury."

"How long will that take?" Kat asked "We could lose some key players if we don't move quickly"

"There's a Grand Jury in session in Louisville this week" Taeson responded "I hope to get on the docket within 24 hours of approval to move forward"

Lena took a deep breath "This is the home stretch, I have faith in you Tae"

Tae smiled "I just help shine light into the dark places – put your faith in justice"

\---------------------------------------------------

Claire kept her weapon raised as she watched Big Foster drag Joyce into the trees. "Dru, hold your position. Joyce, don't let on that you can hear us. We're coming for you"

Teddy was kneeling next to Hasil examining his wound "Looks like one of the stitches is torn, but the rest held. No bleeding from the wound itself, but a bit from the torn stitches."

Hasil was beginning to catch his breath "Help me up….." he asked

"Dude, you really should….." Teddy started

"Y'all need to get after Big Foster, and we can't have them news folks in here with Phil'up laid out." Hasil interrupted , grimacing as he stood "And I won't have Sally Ann see this neither. We need to get out to Dru so y'all can get moving"

"He's right, we need to move" Claire responded "Who is your best tracker"

"I am" Foster answered

"Will you help me track him?" Claire asked

Foster nodded "Stubby, you and Krake take care of Phil'up. G'win and Em, y'all go on out there with Hasil and stay with them folks till we come back"

Claire asked "Did you get all that Dru?"

"Got it" he replied "You sure you don't want Teddy to go with you?"

"Negative, we need a small party and someone familiar with the terrain." She responded "Get set up to track Joyce via the satellite, we're moving out. I'm giving Foster Teddy's side arm and ear piece"

Claire held out her hand and Teddy handed her his ear piece, gun, and 2 clips. Turning to Foster, she handed him the items "This are loaded with rubber bullets. They hurt like a bitch, but won't kill him. Let's move."

\---------------------------------------------------

Big Foster kept a tight grip on Joyce's arm as he roughly her through the woods. She could hear Claire and the team planning to follow, she wanted to do what she could to slow progress.

"Where are you taking me?" She asked

"You ain't got a choice, so it don't much matter now do it?" Big Foster replied, looking behind them

Joyce pulled her arm away "Can you take it easy? You're hurting me!"

"You ain't getting away from me, they'll let me be to protect you." He replied

"Exactly, and do you think they want damaged goods?" She responded, pleading "You're going to dislocate my shoulder, please Foster!"

Big Foster stopped and faced Joyce and she met his eyes unflinching.

"Why'd you tell them about the Red Wolf?" He asked "I know my name is ruined with this family, but Fa didn't deserve that."

"Fa used to say – No matter what another may do, the right thing don't change." She replied, seething "He wanted us to do what was right no matter what anybody else did! No matter the cost. And the cost was too high to keep that secret any longer."

"He was trying to protect me!" Big Foster shouted angrily. "He didn't mean….." he stopped and turned away, overcome with emotion

"I know, he loved you and he acted out of love" Joyce replied quietly "But the mountain has never failed us. There was a reason you needed to go. Fa hoped that you could prove her wrong…"

When Big Foster turned to look at her again, she recognized her brother behind his eyes "I tried so hard to prove her wrong that I proved her right….." he responded, exhaling "There is a fight within me every day and I'm losing the battle. I'm gonna leave now, alright…..I'll go and they can banish me"

"You think banishment is justice for all that you've done?" Joyce asked

"No Sister, I don't. I just killed a boy that's been like a son to me." Big Foster replied warily "But I won't be caged, so they'll have to make do with me burning for all eternity in hellfire. Let's go"

Joyce resisted and Big Foster said "I'll be….gentler, it'll be easier on both of us if I don't have to drag you. But I will if need be, understand?"

Joyce nodded. "I understand. Where are you taking me?"

"Shay Ridge." He replied

"Why Shay Ridge, that's a dead end." Joyce commented

"It is for most, that's what I'm counting on" Big Foster responded "Lets go"

\-----------------------------------------------

Arnie sat contemplating the visit from Wade

"Why did he feel the need to notify me about Meyers?" He thought to himself "And he just happened to make him drop that tidbit about Haylie?"  
He'd warned Meyers not to underestimate Wade, but he equated small towns with small minds. Arnie knew better - he believed a sober Wade Houghton could be a formidable adversary.

"He either believes One Planet is behind Haylie's death, Matt's death, or both." He mused "And he may even suspect me."

Arnie rose and poured himself a drink, continuing to work through the situation in his head. This whole thing has been messy. Meyers desperate and panicked planning – led to poisoning the mountain and then murdering Haylie to cover it up. Our success was built on local low key operations and staying off the federal radar. We should have never tried to force the Fed's hand to get help with the Farrell's. It was an invitation for disaster. Now they are on scene and we're the focus on a FEMA investigation. It would surprise Arnie if the tip they'd used to bring ATF wasn't under investigation as well. With the ACLU involved, things could get loud and go national quick.

Finishing his drink, Arnie pulled out his phone. He needed to update Don on the latest development. But first things first – he needed to protect himself and his family.

"Wes" he said when his brother answered "I think we need to secure the server"

"What the hell?! What's going on Arnie?" Wes asked, shocked

"Just a hunch, it may be nothing" he replied "Look Wes- there is no margin for error, move it yourself, and trust no one. If my hunch turns out to be correct – that server is the only currency we have to buy our freedom."

\-------------------------------------------------

Wade scrolled through the email on Matt Meyers phone. The only account on the phone was his Kentucky Department of Emergency Management email. Going all the way back to his hire date as Emergency Manager, there were no emails from anyone at One Planet. None in the sent items either.

Next he moved into the Notes. There was one folder labeled OP, which Wade assumed meant One Planet. Opening the folder, he found numbers and letters strung together.

412DF8A  
419HG2P  
420AW9P  
421LTG11A

Wade assumed the 8A/2P/9P/11A were times. The first 3 numbers could be dates? Then Initials? That would mean April 12 he met with Don Foushee at 8AM. Wade opened the calendar and went to April 12th. 8AM to 9AM was blocked with a notation of Private Appointment. He checked corresponding dates for all the Notes and found the same – blocked time on the calendar with Private Appointment noted.

This was interesting, but Wade wasn't sure how useful it would be. It was also an illegal search at this point, so he couldn't really share.

Lord, he was tired of waiting for this to case to break. He missed the kids and he wanted to get on with his life. He'd been living in a self medicated funk for a long time after Andy Rae went missing, he had a lot to make up for. Thank God for Breece and Ledda stepping up to take care of Caleb. He was determined to be there for Caleb and for Ledda and the girls. He was done letting people down. Most people didn't get a second chance, he wasn't gonna waste his.

Wade found himself dialing Dana's number, wanting to hear her voice.

"Two calls in a row?" Dana answered with a smile in her voice "Be careful Wade, I might start to think you like me…"

"You are kinda growing on me" Wade answered, unable to hide the warmth in his voice "I just wanted to see how your packing and everything was going?"

"Its going good" she replied "I'll actually be heading up day after tomorrow."

"I'm glad, real glad." He replied, struggling to say more

"That all you called for?" Dana teased, hearing the hesitation in his voice.

"I…um….I wanted…." Wade stop, trying to calm the butterflies in his stomach "I just want you to know I'm real…..you know…I'm just looking forward to getting to know you better. I do like you Dana"

"I like you too Wade" Dana said softly "I'm glad I get a second chance with you."

"Second chance?" Wade asked, surprised that they were both feeling the same way

"You probably don't know this, but I had a huge crush on you in middle school." Dana shared "When I saw you knock Jake Phelps off his high horse in 8th grade, I knew there was something special about you."

"Really?" Wade asked "I remember that jackass Jake. But I don't recall….."

"I transferred to St. Pius for high school" Dana reminded "So we didn't see each other much after that. Life kept on and here we are now"

"Yep, here we are" Wade said breathed quietly "I was thinking about second chances myself, feeling grateful, that's why I called you. I do feel like I been given a second chance. When things settle down, we oughta talk about…..why I needed one. You should know some things if we're gonna do this right."

"Alright" Dana agreed "And that goes both ways, we both need to lay our cards on the table to do this right."

"Alright" Wade agreed

"I'm glad you called Wade." Dana said seriously

"Me too Dana" he responded "I better get back to work. See you soon."

"See you soon Wade" she replied

Wade sat at his desk, his hand over his mouth – hiding a grin. He was trying to put a name to what he was feeling now…..it was unfamiliar…..but he was pretty sure …..he was feeling hopeful.

\---------------------------------------------

"Where is Shay Ridge?" Dru asked

Hasil had recovered from Big Foster's assault, but Sally Ann was watching him like a hawk. He was huddled over a map with Dru and Ellis as they tracked Joyce's movement.

"Here" he said, pointing to the location on the map "Cause he had to go west to get out without running into you folks, he's gonna have to double back to get there."

"You hearing this Claire?" Dru asked

"I copy" Claire responded, her voice coming quietly through a small radio "We're gonna keep tracking them, in case he changes direction or leaves her behind."

"Shay Ridge has a bunch of caves and caverns." Hasil said "There's tales of a path through there to the other side of the mountain, far as I know it's just a tale. But lots of kin folk have gotten lost in there, takes them days to make a way out. Some haven't made it out."

"If he takes her in there, we won't be able to track her." Dru said

"Lets out flank him" Claire replied "Send Teddy out to find a perch to slow them down if need be. Rain rubber bullets down on his ass if he tries to take her in there"

"We can get there before they do" Hasil said, pointing out a path on the map. "It's a straight shot from here."

"Who is we?" Sally Ann asked before Dru could respond

"Sally Ann….." Hasil started

"Don't Sally Ann me, who is we?" She demanded "You seriously can't think it's a good idea for you to go?"

"Me and whoever Dru wants to send." Hasil replied "We ain't got much time if we're gonna get there before he does. We can't let him take her in there."

Dru backed away from the discussion and sent Ellis to relieve Teddy so he could prepare to depart with Hasil.

Hasil closed the distance between them and took Sally Ann's hand "If he takes her in there, we might never find her."

"You know I don't want that" Sally Ann replied "but isn't there someone else, anybody else on this damn mountain that can take him there?"

"We gotta leave now, we ain't got time to fetch Stubby or Runt." Hasil replied, exasperated "It's me or Millie…"

Dru chimed in "They'll be at a distance from Big Foster. Teddy will find a perch and set up with a rifle. They'll be at least 300 yards away"

Sally Ann narrowed her eyes and looked at Dru, who threw up his hands and backed away. She turned her attention back to Hasil who met her eyes patiently.

Still looking at Hasil, she asked Dru "Can you give him one of those vests you guys were wearing?"

Dru nodded "Yeah, sure. I'll grab one."

"You're just guiding Teddy there, right?" Sally Ann asked

"Just guiding, that's it. I'll be careful, promise" Hasil responded, pulling her in for a hug.

"You'd better" she said quietly "Your family needs you."

\----------------------------------------

"How close are we Dru?" Claire asked

"Looks to be about an 1/8th of a mile" Dru answered

"Joyce, can you try to slow your progress and we'll double time it?" Claire said

\----------------------------------------

"Teddy, you guys in place?" Dru asked

"Affirmative." Teddy replied "Setting up now. These rubber bullets can ricochet pretty hard, I don't know if "raining" them down is a good idea"

Claire, sounding as if she is running "I didn't mean that literally jackass. Are they in sight?"

"Hasil is on look out while I set my perch" he replied

"Got em" Hasil exclaimed, watching through binoculars "Joyce just set down like she hurt her foot"

\----------------------------------------

"Ahhhh!" Joyce exclaimed, trying to slow the progress "My ankle!"

Sitting down, she rubbed her ankle

"Get on up now, we're almost there." Big Foster said

"Its twisted" She said, rubbing her ankle "Just give me a minute…..I'll be alright. You want some water?"

Pulling the water bottle out of her sling backpack, she took a long drink and offered it to Foster

"Why didn't you tell me you had water?!" He asked

"You didn't ask." Joyce replied "Do you want some or not?"

Taking the bottle, he took a long drink. Eyeing the backpack, he asked "What else you got in there?"

"Couple apples, cheese sticks, a map…." She started "Hey! Give that back!"

Big Foster snatched the bag from her and started to rummage through it. "You ain't gonna need all this, they'll find you in a few hours." He said, putting the water bottle back in the bag and throwing it over his shoulder

"You're gonna leave me out here with no food or water?" Joyce asked

"You grew up here, same as me – you can't get to food and water, that ain't my fault" he replied "C'mon now, we need to move."

"And you grew up here, same as me – so why do you have to steal my food and water?" Joyce demanded, still rubbing her ankle

"Cause ain't nothing but blackness in them caves" Big Foster explained "This'll hold me till I get to the other side."

"Other side?" Joyce responded "Foster those caves are dead ends, what are you talking about?"

"Not if you know what you're doing" he replied "and I know what I'm doing. Now come on, on your feet."

"Foster….."She started

"Sister, I will drag you if need be" he said menacingly

Joyce stood gingerly and made a show of testing putting weight on her ankle. Slowly, she started to limp forward with Big Foster close behind.

\-------------------------------------------------------

"They're on the move" Hasil advised Teddy

"Hear that Claire?" Teddy asked "Where are you guys?

"Coming up" Dru said "You might want to slow down Claire, you're getting close enough they'll be able to hear you"

"Copy that" Claire said, turning to Lil Fosters she asked "Where is a good place to get a look from cover?"

"This way" Lil Foster replied, pointing to a stand of trees

As they settled in the stand of trees, Claire removed her binoculars and scanned below. "I've got eyes on them, they're starting to move." Turning to Lil Foster she asked "Is there somewhere we can get the drop on them?"

"They'll need to pass between Spirit Rock and themtrees yonder get to the caves" he replied "Hasil and Teddy ought to be looking right down that path"

"We are" Hasil replied "If they come out of there, we'll be able to see em"

"There are a couple of blind spots in there, are you sure there isn't another way out?" Teddy asked

"Only way I know to get into the caves is right in front of us, if that's where he's going – he's gotta come out the end" Hasil replied

"He's right" Lil Foster agreed "That's the only way in."

"What's the play Claire?" Dru asked

Claire surveyed the landscape, thinking of the best way to proceed. "We need to separate him from Joyce and drive him down that path to Teddy. We'll both move up, but stay about 200 yards apart. When I give the signal, Lil Foster comes out of the trees and yells and starts toward them. Joyce, the minute Big is distracted you bolt just as fast as you can toward the trees. I'll be coming toward you. Big Foster will have to choose between chasing Joyce and running for the caves. He's got no reason to think we've out flanked him, so he'll likely cut and run up the path."

"Sounds like a good plan." Dru replied

"We're gonna get into position."Claire responded "Joyce, if you heard the plan and you're ready – run your fingers through your hair"

Looking through the binoculars, Claire saw Joyce run her fingers through her hair. "Okay, she's onboard. Let's get in position, we go on my signal"

\----------------------------------------------

"Fa! Stop!" Lil Foster yelled, coming out of the trees and running toward Big Foster and Joyce. Big Foster stopped and turned around, and Joyce bolted toward the trees. Big Foster hesitated and looked toward Joyce and Claire running toward each other, and Lil Foster running towards him.

Big Foster turned and started to move toward Joyce as she ran towards Claire.

"Keep coming, move, move!" Claire yelled at Joyce as she ran toward her. She raised her weapon and fired a warning shot at Big Foster.

Big Foster raised his derringer and fired a shot towards his fleeing sister.

"Get down!" Claire yell and tackled Joyce as she saw him raise the weapon. They landed behind a bush, and Claire raised up on one knee to check on Big Fosters saw him sprinting toward Spirit Rock and Lil Foster closing the distance.

"Dru – I have Joyce and Lil Foster is in pursuit of his father. Teddy – they're coming your way." She reported "Joyce you stay put, I'm gonna help…"

"You need to stay put…"Joyce started

"You'll be safe here, I'll be right ….." Claire started

"Claire! You're bleeding!" Joyce exclaimed "look at your leg!"

"Claire?" Dru asked "You hit?"

Claire looked down at her leg and saw the blood, and as her mind registered that she was hit – she started to feel the pain. "Shit!" She growled, sitting down abruptly and examining the wound "Yeah, I'm hit – it's just a graze."

Hearing this in his ear piece, Lil Foster slowed down and started to turn around as Big Foster passed the entrance at Spirit Rock "I'm on my way back."

"No!" Claire exclaimed "It's just a scratch, stay on him!"

"You sure?" Lil Foster asked, hesitating

"Yes! Go, go!" Claire yelled

Turning, Lil Foster picked up the pace – he hoped to catch up with his Fa, but made it clear to the other side without seeing him.

As he came out, he asked "Did he go into the caves?"

"He didn't come out Foster" Hasil replied "I can see both the end of the path and the cave's – and he ain't come out or gone in."

"I would've passed him if he was still in there!" Lil Foster exclaimed

"Maybe he's hiding." Hasil said "Claire, can y'all see over there, he come back out?"

"Negative" Claire responded as Joyce tended to her wound "I've been watching since Lil Foster went in, nobodies come out."

Lil Foster turned and trotted back through, looking for any hiding places. He came out of the other side alone and bewildered.

"He ain't in there" he declared, spotting Joyce and a limping Claire making their way down to his location "he's gone"


	37. Chapter 37

"He's gone" Lil Foster declared

"We're coming down there, y'all stay put" Hasil replied

Lil Foster moved to help Joyce with Claire, who was noticeably limping. "There has to be some way into the caves in here" she declared

"I thought he was saying he had a secret way out of the caves" Joyce commented "but maybe he meant in…..or both"

"There's miles of trails in there, and a lot of em don't cross" Lil Foster replied, helping Claire lower herself onto a boulder to rest her leg "I'm gonna step in around the other side and see if I can at least hear him."

"How you holding up Claire?" Dru asked

"I'm fine" she replied "It's a flesh wound"

"She's shot" Joyce replied "You need to send a vehicle out here for her. She can't walk all the way back."

"We have a vehicle" Teddy chimed in "We'll be able to get everybody back."

"Teddy check out her wound and give me a…." Dru started

"Nobody is checking anything out!" Claire declared, frustrated "I'm fine!"

"Wow, is she always this stubborn?" Joyce asked

"Claire raises Obstinate to an art form" Dru answered "This is nothing…"

"I'll show you an art form if you keep talking about me like I'm not here" Claire interrupted

Teddy pulled up in the vehicle as Lil Foster returned.

"I went about 50 feet into the caves and couldn't hear or see nothing" Lil Foster shared "Where's Hasil?"

"He's coming down on foot, he wanted to see if he could spot anything the woods coming down" Teddy replied, grabbing his rucksack and heading toward Claire

"T, I'm fine…" Claire started

"You give me any shit and I'll dose you with enough Ativan to knock out a moose." Teddy replied firmly "Got it?"

Frustrated, all Claire could do was nod. She knew protocol, she just didn't like when it applied to her.

"Hey!" Hail yelled, approaching from on foot "Take a look here, behind this bush"

From his vantage point above the path, he say a small pile of dirt….it looked as if it was pushed out by an object.

Lil Foster moved behind the bush and examined the ground. Standing, he looked at the large rock in front of him, then again at the ground. Placing his hands on the rock, he started to feel around – eventually coming across a hand hold. He pulled, and the rock slid forward – revealing an entrance to the caves. By now, Hasil had joined him.

"That must be how he got in!" Hasil declared, shining the his flashlight into the opening "He's got at least a half hour head start now"

Lil Foster was silent, contemplating the opening

"No cousin" Hasil said quietly "it ain't worth the risk…"

"I can't just let him walk away" Lil Foster said, anguished "not after all he's done! It's my duty….."

"Your duty is to be a father to your daughter and Bren'in to this clan" Hasil reminded "We need you fightin for our right to stay on this mountain, not chasing demons."

Joyce joined them, placing her hand on Lil Fosters shoulder "Hasil is right nephew, you're needed here. The mountain will take care of your Fa"

Lil Foster nodded and pushed the rock back in place, covering the opening. They turned and headed back toward the other.

Teddy was helping Claire into the vehicle as they arrived. He reported to Dru "We're unable to pursue Big Foster, 5 returning to base."  
\------------------------------------------

Answering on the first ring, Lena said "Tae! Tell me something good…"

"Lets not bring Queen Chaka Khan into this!" Taeson replied with a laugh "But I do have good-sad news."

Lena put him on speaker so Kat could hear the news, "Start with the good"

"Good news is we were able to obtain the original samples taken after the West Virginia incident, and they are on the way for expedited testing." Taeson shared "The sad part is all the evidence we've gathered indicates they were never properly tested."

"How can that be?" Kat asked "They actually published results saying testing was inconclusive!"

"Correct" Taeson confirmed "Inconclusive because the sample they tested was too small to generate conclusive results. That's the sad part. The entire investigation was conducted with no federal or state oversight by profiteers of the deal with One Planet. Dozens died, and thousands were ultimately displaced and nobody was held accountable."

Lena exhaled quietly "The evil that men do….….."

"I don't imagine you were able to obtain all of this without a warrant?" Kat asked

"We did obtain sealed warrants, but we rolled up like only the DOJ can – in intimidating numbers, with brutal efficiency, while being exceedingly polite." Taeson responded "Process of elimination will eventually lead to our investigation and One Planet"

"Shit!" Lena exclaimed "So what about Josh and Mary Beth?"

"The DA and Sheriff behind the cover up are into a few dirty deals, so right now they're guessing. They won't know what we took until we turn over the chain of custody inventory." Taeson shared "We can delay that at least 48 hours. I can get Mary Beth into protective custody before that"

"And Josh?" Lena asked

"I'll arrange surveillance, but the State doesn't have any reason to believe we are on to them yet or that Josh is on the team." He replied "We pull him to soon and we risk tipping our hand."

"So what's next?" Kat asked

"I'm on the first flight tomorrow to Louisville" we're on the grand jury docket Friday. Hopefully we can get sealed warrants. That will give us the weekend to coordinate so we can pick everyone up simultaneously."

"What about the server in Austin?" Lena responded

"We're still working to tie that to anyone at One Planet" Taeson replied "Whoever set up that shell knows how to make the law work for them."

"This will be good news to pass along when we update the team on the mountain" Kat commented

"Have they agreed allow the ACLU represent them and work with us?" Taeson asked

"They were headed to meet with the head of the clan when we last talked." Lena replied "We are supposed to touch base in about an hour."

"Okay, why don't we plan on talking again after 6pm?" Taeson asked "I'll have my flight set and you'll hopefully have good news from the mountain."

"Will do" Lena replied "And Tae…thank you, seriously. You have no idea what this means."

"It means we're doing our jobs." He replied solemnly "DEPARTMENT….. OF… JUSTICE!  
_______________________________________________

Wes Wilkes smiled "Thank you ma'am, y'all have a blessed day"

Dressed down in jeans, a T-shirt, and ball cap – he proceeded to the storage unit. He'd specifically requested something in the back and since he paid 2 years of fee's in cash, plus a little extra to overlook the fact that he "misplaced" his ID, Miss Fannie was more than willing to accommodate.

Pulling around in old pick up he and Arnie had bought years ago in anticipation of having to move the server one day, Wes still thought his brother was a bit paranoid. 10 layers of red tape on the storage facilities – separate ones, under different corporation - that housed the server and this old truck Ford F-250 with a lift gate and shell. But he trusted nobody like he trusted his brother. Arnie had taken care of Wes since he was 6 as they bounced around the system, kept him safe and out of trouble, put him through college and grad school, and was Godfather to his 3 boys.

This server was another way to protect him. Arnie knew it was a possibility that they would one day be snared in a federal investigation. He'd told Wes the main target would be on Foushee and the key to their survival would be making the target on Don's back bigger. They wouldn't be able to beat them, so they would join them with enough evidence to negotiate their own freedom.

As Wes settled into the storage facility, he began work on upgrading the encryption on the server. For the plan to work, the server needed to be hack proof.  
______________________________________________

Big Foster figured he had been running for at least 45 minutes. He leaned on a wall at one of the few points of light in the caves, struggling to catch his breath. He strained to hear any traces of pursuit over his heavy breathing, but could detect none.

Settling into the shadows, he opened the bag he'd taken from Joyce and pulled out the water bottle. He need to make sure he was thinking clear, he hadn't been through here in 10 years or more. Taking a long drink, he rubbed his knees and leaned his head back. Damn! Getting old is hell! Out loud, he asked himself "How did I get here? Running from my own kin, Farrell blood on my hands?"

"That bloods on my hands" a voice replied

Startled, Big Foster opened his eyes to see someone comes out of the shadows "Who's there?!"

Foster Farrell V seemed to emerge from the walls. Moving into the light he replied "Hello Son"

"Fa?" Big Foster responded "How? I ain't sleep, my knees hurt too damn much for this to be a dream."

Foster V laughed, and his son instantly knew he wasn't dreaming. When his Fa laughed, he'd always been able to feel the air change. That same feeling rushed over him and he staggered to his feet.

"Fa, its really you?" Big Foster asked

"It's me boy" Foster V answered "I come to make my sorries"

Big Foster inhaled deeply, unsure if he could speak. His Fa was standing not 300 feet from him. "Am I dead?" He asked

"No boy, these old Caves…. there's Farrell magic in the walls." Foster V explained "it's a sanctuary of sorts, for old souls. You recall the last time you was here?"

"I do" Big Foster answered solemnly "I had a feeling like you was near, but….."

"Was me guided you to the other side" his Fa answered "You was real put out by your Ma not giving you The Oak, and you was thinking of leaving. Broke my heart when you turned back"

Big Foster's heart sank "Why would you say that Fa?"

"I think you know why Son" Foster V replied "When I saved you from the Red Wolf, I didn't have much time to think. But in the years after, all I did was think….and hope. This was not my hope for you nor our clan"

"I did the best I could…"Big Foster started

Foster V shook his head "No! You did what you damn well pleased with no mind to any other soul in this clan! At every turn you took the wrong path. Selfish, vulgar, cruel….a path not befittin' the Bren'in!"

"If that's what you think of me, what'd you save me for?!" Big Foster shouted

"When I saved you, that's not who you was!" Foster V growled "You was a boy…..pig headed and strong willed, but I saw good in you. I had hope….but the mountain knew better. When I left this earth you lost your way. She knew what'd happen and sent the Red Wolf for you…..to save your soul."

"Why're you here old man?" Big Foster asked wearily "If I could take back any of it.…."

"But you can't, the damage can't be undone." Foster V interrupted "I'm here to tell you I love you, and I'm here to guide you to the other side."  
_________________________________________________________

Wade looked down at his phone, it was Kim from the lab. "Hey Kim, got something for me?"

"Hi Wade." Kim replied "Preliminary results on the tire rim show traces of ANFO."

"ANFO?" Wade answered "Well damn, can't say I was expecting that…"

"Like I said, its preliminary" she responded "When we get a full report, you can turn it over to ATF to see if it can be traced."

"Traced?"Wade asked

"Yeah, they can tell if it's commercial grade or military grade." Kim advised "They also have some capability to identify manufacturers"

"Thanks Kim, how quick can you get those final results over to me?" Wade asked

"I would say by noon tomorrow at the latest." She replied

Wade took a deep breath as they hung up, contemplating his next move. He knew enough about mining to know that ANFO was a commonly used explosive. The only mining outfit around here was One Planet.

Call Judge Harris, see if he would issue a warrant? Not likely without ATF test results, and who knows how long that'd take. That explosive couldn't have been on a timer, that'd have been too risky. Someone had to have detonated it, and at just the right time for him to go over an embankment.

Picking up the phone, he dialed Judd Fults. "Hey, its Wade. The Lab found mine explosive on the tire rim, I think somebody was tailing Meyers out of town and detonated it. Check the traffic CAM we spotted him on and see if you can ID his tail. I'm gonna go see Wilkes again"  
_____________________________________________________

Sally Ann sat at one of the picnic tables in the barn, an eye toward the path Dru told her the team would take to return. She'd heard Hasil's voice and knew he was alright, but she needed to see and touch him. Since he'd been shot, she had a nervous feeling in the pit of her stomach every time they were apart. She hoped it would subside once all this trouble was settled, feeling like this any time he was away would be hard way to live.

A voice from behind her asked "Mind if I sit?"

Turning, Sally Ann met G'win's eyes and nodded. "Sure…I'm just waiting…..you know….."

G'win smiled "Yeah, I know. I've waited myself a few times. Least we know they're on the way and unharmed"

"I guess that helps….." she replied

They sat in silence for a few moments before G'win spoke "I'm sorry….."

Confused, Sally Ann turned and asked "What for?"

"When Hasil came to see me and told me you was carrying, I told him you couldn't stay" G'win answered "That you wasn't kin…..that was wrong of me. Part of me knew it then, but seeing y'all together…..it can't be denied that you're his kin…..and his kin is our kin"

"We really didn't know what we were then…..or who we were" Sally Ann sighed "So much has changed since that day."

"Hasil's been changed since the day he met you" G'win commented

"What do you mean?" Sally Ann asked

"We used to have a saying round here – "At the drop of a Hasil", cause he was quick to everything" G'win explained with a smile "quick tongued, quick on his feet, quick study, but mostly quick to temper and quick to fight! He always had a wild energy, but its different now…..he has direction and purpose "

"That sounds like Hasil" Sally Ann agreed, returning her smile "It's been hard on him, being away when all this was going on. He loves y'all and this mountain…"

"He does" G'win acknowledges "but he loves you and your child more, and that's how it should be."

Sally Ann nodded "We should be his priority, but family is family. It used to scare me to think how connected he felt to y'all, I didn't think I could compete with that. That night he came back up, I saw how worried he was, then all of a sudden I was worried – I realized I didn't need to compete with anything. I just needed let myself be part of its because it's part of him."

G'win reached out and clasped Sally Ann's hand "Welcome to the family Cousin"  
_______________________________________________________

The Elders and the ACLU team gathered after the prayer circle for Phil'up. The burial would be in the morning, prayer circle allows the clan to honor his spirit and pray for protection and peace.

The mood was somber as Foster VIII addressed those gathered in the barn. "Friends and Cousins, our clan has lived on this mountain for over 200 years. We've protected our blood and our land, we've lived free and honest taking only what we need from below. But times have changed, the world is getting smaller. This is a threat we don't know how to fight and the coal company used on our ignorance of the low landers laws to lay claim to the mountain. Joy Farrell and Hasil Farrell have brought folks to us who can help us protect this mountain for our clan and all future generations. We'll put our faith in the Lord and take this as a blessing." Turning to Dru, he continued "Joy and Stubby will stand for me as Legate Bren'ins, we thank you kindly for your generosity"

Moving forward to shake hands, Dru responded "You won't regret this, you have my word."

"What happens now?" G'win asked

"We head back down the mountain tomorrow" Joyce replied "Our people down below tell me that we go before the grand jury on Friday. We'll file for an injunction to stop any further action by One Planet after the grand jury hands down its indictments. Over the weekend the news team here will put together a story and start sharing your story the as arrests start happening"

"Once that happens, things will get crazy for awhile." Ellis warned "Every news organization in the country will want to talk to anyone in the clan willing to get on camera."

"If it's one thing my kin can do, it's keep our mouths shut" Hasil shared "If any of them make it up here, they won't get to friendly of a welcome"

"We can't be rough with any of them" Joyce advised "We'll have to talk through how to handle any press that manages to make it up here. And the Bren'in is still a fugitive, so he needs to be kept off camera and nobody can talk about him"

"We'll get a solid plan on how to work through those issues over the weekend." Claire assured "We want to be ready for any contingency. We'll leave a couple of the satellite phones and small generators with you so we can stay in communication"

"This isn't going to be easy" Joyce said "But we can do this, our family and our mountain will be safe"

"Thank you Aintin" Foster the VIII replied, relief and hope showing through in his smile "Tomorrow's a new day family, tomorrow we take the fight to the coal company. GED GED YAH!"

The family members present felt his hope and echoed "GED GED YAH!"  
________________________________________________

"We there yet?" Foster the VI asked his father

"Just round this next bend" his Fa answered "The others are there waiting"

"Others?" He asked "What others?"

"You Ma and your Morai for starters" Foster V responded "They'd like a word with you"

"You dragging me through these caves so they can nag me from beyond?!" Foster VI replied, exasperated

"You don't believe you're deserving?" Foster V asked

Foster VI sighed "I didn't say that, just surprised is all. I woulda thought neither one of em wanted to see me again."

"Despite your best efforts" his Fa replied "They love you too son"

They navigated the narrow passage in silence until they could see a light ahead. They emerged in a cavern, flooded with natural light from above. As Foster VI eyes adjusted to the light, he looked noticed people emerging from the shadows. He stood in shocked silence as his loved ones made themselves seen.

"Ma…Morai…Asa…Elon…" he was at a loss for words, all people he loved greatly and caused tremendous pain. Turning to his Fa, he asked "What is this Fa?"

"What must be done Son" Foster V answered "The ones who love you most are calling you to circle"


	38. Chapter 38

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry! My brain was stopped up, I had a serious case of writers block! Shonda Rhimes and HannonsPen helped get me unstuck! Thanks for all the follows and reviews, hope you enjoy...we are in the home stretch!

Chapter 38

"What is this Fa?" Big Foster asked

"What must be done Son" Foster V answered "The ones who love you most are calling you to circle"

Walking forward slowly, Big Foster approached Elon. He silently prayed he would be able to touch the boy, he wanted nothing more than to replace the memory of holding his lifeless body. Dropping to his knees in front on the boy, he said "Elon? Son?"

"It's me Fa" Elon said

Tears flowed from Big Fosters eyes at the sound of his son's voice. Reaching out, he touched the boys face before pulling him into fierce embrace. The others looked on, startled by the emotion of the reunion.

"I'm sorry Elon" Big Foster sobbed "I'm so sorry son!"

Elon held his father and patiently assured him "I'm alright Fa. Its okay, I'm helping save the mountain. It's okay Fa"

Through his tears, Big Foster looked at his parents and grandmother "Why'd you take my boy? Whatever I done, he didn't have no part of it!"

A aged woman emerged from the shadows, her energy so powerful see seemed to glow.

"We did not take your child Foster Farrell VI" the woman answered "You failed to protect him. You sacrificed him and his spirit landed here."

Indignant, Big Foster stood "I would never…." He started

"You had a choice when you found he'd stowed away on your foolish folly" She interrupted "continue or return home. You selfishly chose to stay your path with the child present, despite the danger. You sacrificed him in your quest for power."

She stood at the center of his family and held her hand out, Elon walked forward and placed his hand in hers.

"Who the hell are you?" Foster VI demanded

"Cead-Bren'in" she responded explained " I am Neila Shay, First Bren'in of the Clans of Shay Mountain"  
_________________________

Wade sat impatiently in the reception area of the One Planet offices. Just as he was about to tell the receptionist he'd be back with a warrant, Arnie Wilkes walked out to meet him.

"Sheriff" Arnie greeted, extending his hand "Didn't expect to see you back so soon"

"Didn't expect to have to come back this soon" Wade advised, shaking his hand "But I need to talk to you about some information that just came in"

"Lets head to my office" Arnie replied, gesturing toward the door

As Wade settled into one of the guest chairs in front of the desk, Arnie offered him a drink.

"No, thanks" Wade replied, looking around "I see you started packing up. Get your new post?"

Arnie shook his head "Not yet, just being proactive. What can I do for you Sheriff?"

"You know what ANFO is?" Wade asked

"Sure, it's a very common mining explosive" Arnie responded, careful to keep the dread he was feeling from showing "One Planet uses it, part of my responsibilities is to ensure its appropriately inventoried and secured."

"And is it?" Wade asked

"Pardon?" Arnie replied, feigning confusion

Locking eyes with Arnie, Wade elaborated "Is One Planet's ANFO appropriately inventoried and secured?"

"Absolutely!" Arnie answered emphatically, continuing "What's this about Sheriff?"

"We found traces of ANFO on the rim of Matt Meyers tire" Wade replied "That's likely what made his car run off the road"

"And you think that it was our ANFO?" Arnie replied with faux outrage "Sheriff, I can assure you…"

Wade interrupted "You wanna assure me, let me see them records on your supply and inspect the storage"

"You know I can't do that Sheriff" Arnie responded "I let you view company material without a warrant and my ass is out on the street."

"Way things are heading, that might be a blessing" Wade replied cryptically

"What's that supposed to mean?" Arnie demanded

Wade hadn't meant to go down this road, but he was sick of tiptoeing around these bastards. "Means One Planet is neck deep in every shitty thing that's happened to my county in the last six months. Means I'm coming for One Planet and anybody with a part in this is better pray to be out on the street, cause the other two options are behind bars or dead. Kinda like your buddy Meyers. By the way, who'd he piss off?"

"I think we're done here" Arnie said firmly, standing and moving toward the door "You're welcome to return with a warrant….and only with a warrant."

Standing, Wade replied "Count on it."  
_________________________

The group on the mountain had finished supper and were gathered to hear the plan for departing the next morning

"We'll head out tomorrow at 0500" Dru said "that should get us down the mountain and to Louisville by noon"

"We aren't going back to Blackburg?" Sally Ann replied

"Not yet. Our contact from DOJ will be arriving in Louisville tomorrow morning" he explained "He'll need to conduct local interviews prior to going before the Grand Jury on Friday. That's why Stubby and G'win are coming down with us."

"Then it'll be over and we can go home?" She asked

"You can go home, but this is far from over." Dru responded

"If we get the indictments, and I believe we will, that's just the first step in the next phase" Ellis explained

"We're taking on the state government and a very powerful corporation" Joyce noted "If they decide to fight, the court battle will be brutal."

"And the media scrutiny will be intense." Claire added "So once you do get home, you'll need to lay low"

"Lets get through the trip down the mountain" Dru advised "then we can start planning our next steps. We've got to jump on a call with the team in Louisville. You guys are welcome to sit in….."

Hasil took Sally Ann's hand "If y'all don't need us to, I think we're gonna go pack up"

"We should be good. Teddy and Erica are with Ledda at Millie's. I'll radio that you're on the way." Dru responded "They'll watch for your arrival"  
__________________________

Sally Ann and Hasil walked in silence to his parents cabin, each absorbed in worries about the future.

Sally Ann moved silently as she starting packing for the departure in the morning. Hasil watched her, knowing she was anxious and feeling the same way himself. He sat down on the bed and grabbed her hand. They locked eyes for a moment, then both started to speak at the same time

"What are you worried about….." they said in unison, followed by a burst of laughter

Still smiling, Sally Ann sat down next to Hasil "You first….."

Hasil quickly became somber "If this thing ain't over yet, I still need to try to help my family. And we still need to be able to keep up on what we need. I ain't in no condition to fight to get us money. How do I help them and how we gonna make due til I can….."

Sally Ann interrupted him with a kiss "We're okay, with the money we'd saved and what you got from the last fight, we'll be okay for 8 or 9 months if we're careful. Longer if we decide to move into my old place."

"But the doctor's bills…?" He asked

"I have insurance now, remember?" Sally Ann reminded him. "That'll help a lot with that. We'll be alright - I promise, okay?

Hasil held her eyes, searching to make sure she wasn't just trying to ease his mind. "Alright, then why're you worried?"

Sally Ann exhaled, taking a moment to gather her thoughts. "I guess I thought we'd come up here and everything would get fixed and that would be it. But until they get done with the court stuff…..it's just scary to think about."

"You ain't gotta worry about me. I'm being more careful" Hasil assured her "When we went after Joyce I stayed back just like I promised."

Sally Ann rolled her eyes "Really? Are you forgetting that 5 minutes before that you got punched in your stitches by Cousin Big Psycho?"

"Well….I mean….. I'm trying to be more careful" Hasil conceded. "I really am, I want to be around for our family. It's just hard to help right now without…" he paused, struggling for words "I just want to do right by all my family….."

"I know Babe" Sally Ann interrupted "The way you look at family is part of what makes you so easy to love. I want you to help your family, but it's still scary….these people are dangerous"

He put his arm around her as she leaned in and rested her head on his shoulder. "We got really good folks helping us now. We'll get through this and get back to getting ready for Declan.

"I've been thinking about that too" Sally Ann replied "I appreciate what James did and all, but I'm not sure I want us to move into my old place."

"Why not?" Hasil asked "You was saying we could use a bigger place when the baby was born"

Sighing, she responded "Yeah, and we'd save money too, but….."

"But what?" He asked

"Just a lot of bad memories…I spent most of the last few years scared. Scared when he was yelling at me or hitting me, scared he was going to yell at me or hit me when he wasn't, or scared that someone would find out….just scared all the time" Sally Ann explained "I know it was him and not the place, but…I feel safe at our place, I don't think I want to live in a place where I don't feel safe again."

Hasil's blood boiled at the thought of Sally Ann being hurt. "Never again. We'll stay put and find another place when the times right."

"Thank you Babe, but we can't really afford to be picky" she replied "maybe we can rent it or something. If not then we should….."

"We ain't living nowhere you don't feel good safe" Hasil interrupted, kissing her forehead "right now let's just get down the hill and get this done."

Sally Ann agreed, standing "You're right, one problem at a time. Let's just get finish packing up and get some rest"

Gripping her hand, Hasil responded "I ain't sure when I'll get back up here, so I'd like to go see my folks before we go. I ain't been real good about paying my respects the last few years, so I wanna go while I got the chance"

"Sure" she replied, sitting back down "Can I go with you?"

"You wanna?" he asked

Nodding, she responded "Of course Baby, if it's okay. "

"I'd like that" Hasil said "They're over in the other Baile near my place, maybe we can ride over with Dru when he goes to fetch G'win."

Sally Ann leaned forward to kiss Hasil "I'll finish packing so we can get going."

Hasil moved his hands to the back of her head, keeping her close and prolonging the kiss. "I love you Sally Ann Lewis" he whispered as they moved apart

"I love you too Hasil Farrell" she replied softly  
_________________________

Arnie Wilkes lit a cigarette and inhaled deeply. It'd been 12 years since he'd last smoked, but under the circumstances he felt entitled to indulge. He just picked up his voicemail, the message was from a source in West Virginia.

"Hey Arnie – Its Shane. Feds raided the county offices here, rumor is they're after Roscoe and Bud. Could be a coincidence, them boys are into all kinds of dirt, but I thought you'd want to know. I'll keep my ear to the ground and holler if I hear any more."

Arnie did not believe in coincidence. After the Sheriffs less than cordial visit, it wasn't a stretch to think Feds are getting close. It was a good run, but all good things must come to an end. And Arnie was prepared. Putting out his cigarette, he got into his car and dialed his brother Wes.

"Hey Arnie….." Wes answered

"We're compromised" Arnie interrupted

"Are you sure?" Wes asked, his heart pounding

"The Feds just executed a raid in West Virginia" he replied

"That doesn't necessarily mean….." Wes answered

"Wes! My gut tells me we are compromised, this is it!" Arnie shouted. He took a deep breath before continuing "If I'm right, we got until Monday – Tuesday at the outside. Is the server secure?"

"Its secure" Wes replied "I did everything you asked"

"Good" Arnie answered, relieved "We have more than enough to cut a deal. We need to keep 2 steps ahead to keep you out of jail"

"Are you going to tell Don?" Wes asked

"I'm sticking to the plan" Arnie replied "Family first"

"You should run Arnie. Take off now, you can disappear before…." Wes pleaded

"No, I'm staying right here. I'm not gonna spend the rest of my life running" Arnie said "Trust me okay? I'll call the lawyer and let him know we may have a situation next week, and once things start rolling – we'll get in there and cut deals before One Planet knows what hit them. I can do 5 years standing on my head, and I doubt I'll even get that much time. They'll want Foushee and the Lt. Governor, and I'm going to serve them up on a silver platter"  
__________________________

Dru, Claire, Ellis, and Joyce gathered around for the update call.

Kat voice greeted them as they dialed in "Good evening, who just joined?"

"Hey Kat – It's me" Dru responded "and I have Joyce, Claire, and Ellis with me"

"Hey guys" she responded "Lena's here with me and Taeson and Wade are on the line as well. Tae you have the mic"

"Thanks Kat. Evening everyone, on behalf of the Department of Justice I would like to start by thanking you for your efforts" Taeson said "The citizens impacted by the crimes we're investigating need guidance on their rights and the justice process. Thank you for stepping up. The purpose of this call is to gather information. Anything relevant to the case that has happened in the last 24 hours. Sheriff, can we start with you?"

"Ah, yeah – sure" Wade responded, caught off guard by being called on first "We got some tests back today. The forensic evidence on the table in Haylie's room shows the hair caught in the shattered glass matches hers. The testing on her neck shows DNA other than hers. It's not in any database, but I think it belongs to Matt Meyers. Next step is to get a DNA sample from his body."

"Is that something you'll need me to request a warrant for?" Taeson asked

"Yeah, I don't quite have motive – but we do have opportunity." Wade replied "His body is the morgue in Louisville. I'm waiting for the official report, but I been told his tire rim tested positive for traces of ANFO. If an investigation is opened into his murder, then we may have a loophole to get a quick DNA sample."

"ANFO?" Claire asked "Who has access to that grade of explosive?"

"One Planet. The civilian grade is used in mining" Wade replied "I paid Arnie Wilkes a visit and asked real polite for a look at his records, but couldn't seem to persuade him"

"Well that ties nicely into what I found out from West Virginia" Tae said "Contaminants in the soil there match the contaminants in the soil from Shay Mountain. There are two common denominators here – One Planet and Matt Meyers. There is a particular component of the contaminant that can be traced to Mexico. And as you all know from Haylie's email, One Planet has a factory in Mexico that manufactures some of the nasty chemicals used in fracking."

"There's your motive Wade" Dru said

"Exactly" Taeson agreed "The soil samples she brought down could be linked to the contaminants in West Virginia and traced to Mexico. She had a smoking gun, and he killed her for it."

"But why would One Planet kill him if Haylie was out of the picture?" Kat asked

"Because he got sloppy, and they knew it." Clair said

"Plus he'd fold like a cheap suit under the threat of prison" Wade said "That's why he was running"

"We're working with authorities in Mexico to coordinate a raid on the factory with serving warrants here." Taeson said "We will be sure to seize the ANFO inventory and records as part of our raid on One Planet. So do we have the cooperation of our citizens from Shay Mountain?"

"Yes you do" Joyce answered "The Clan leaders are sending representatives to testify on the conditions here as well as address the civil rights violations committed against them."

"Outstanding!" Taeson replied "Okay team, this is what happens next. I conduct interviews tomorrow with the whistleblowers and the representatives from Shay Mountain. That is all I need to round out my case. On Friday I go before the grand jury and work to secure indictments, and Monday we will serve warrants and request an injunction halting all enforcement of prior judgments regarding the fate of Shay Mountain. As we analyze the evidence and interview suspects, I am sure there will be further arrests – so this is round one. Is everyone in for the long haul?"

"The ACLU will have boots on the ground as long as we're needed" Lena said "Both legal and investigative"

"We are prepared to go the distance" Joyce said "My family wants to be secure in their homes."

"And the folks in Blackburg want our town back" Wade add "and I want these Sons of Bitches out of my county"

"Good to hear" Taeson responded "Sons of Bitches removal is my specialty"  
_________________________

Big Foster stood, shocked. Neila Shay was the mother of the clans, she discovered Shay Mountain and led the clans here…..

This can't be real…

His eyes went to the faces around him…Fa…..Morai…..Ma…..Elon…..Asa

This can't be real….

"This ain't real" He said aloud, spinning around…..looking for a way out "This ain't real!"

He rushed toward the tunnel he'd used to enter the cave, only to see the entrance disappear before his eyes…..replaced by a solid wall. Panicked, he turned and drew his knife. Terrified, with his back against the wall, he faced his loved ones. "What do you want?! Why am I here?!" He shouted

He heard his own voice in return, filling the air with pain…anguished words he'd spoken aloud as he struggled with the demon in his soul…

"Everything I touch, blood and more blood" "So I became the demon. Me!" "We've tainted this mountain. I have, by what I done. I killed my mother, I killed our ways" "The darkness is gonna win" "And try as I might to change, I kill everything I touch"

The weight of his own words brought Foster VI to his knees. He knew why he was here. He knew what must be done. Bowing his head, he let the tears flow. He was here to be set free.

"You're safe now child" Neila Shay's voice whispered softly "Darkness can't live here"

Raising his head, he found himself face to face with his son Asa. "We're all here because we love you Foster. And just like you, we love our clan and this mountain. I love you Fa, and I forgive you."

Overwhelmed, Foster VI began to quietly sob. He felt a small hand on his shoulder and looked over to see Elon kneeling next to Asa. "I love you Fa, and I forgive you." Elon whispered, leaning in to kiss Foster's forehead.

He felt a familiar hand on his face, and turned to see his mother had joined his boys – kneeling with them she whispered with a tenderness he hadn't heard since he was a child "I love you Son, and I forgive you."

Foster VI closed his eyes and searched for words to describe what he was feeling.

"Peace" said his Morai "That fullness in your heart and stillness in your mind is Peace."

Nodding, Foster VI answered. "Yes ma'am, I think you're right."

Elon and Lady Ray moved back to join the family, leaving Foster VI alone with Asa. For a long minute, the men kneeled facing each other – eyes locked. Foster VI raised his hand and touched Asa's cheek. Nodding, he said quietly "I love you Son. I'm ready."

Asa nodded and stood. He moved back to join the rest of the family.

Neila Shay stepped forward and declared "The spirit of Foster Farrell VI shall join the spirits of our kin. He will be safe from his demons and take a rightful role as a Sentry of Shay Mountain. Wyleth-Clannin come forward."

Siobhan Shay, Declan Farrell, and Fiona Farrell moved into view from the shadows. Asa joined them and greeted them, touching foreheads and gripping arms with each. Turning he faced his father as the three transformed into wolves.

Foster VI, still on his knees, said "It's okay, I'm ready son" He watched Asa transform into the Red Wolf.

Foster Farrell VI smiled – he came here a broken man deserving of any consequence awaiting him – instead he was shown love. There was no trace of the demon that haunted his soul for so long. As the Wyeth-Clannin moved toward him, he raised his arms and bared his throat – grateful for the grace shown to him by those he'd hurt the most and ready to join their spirits in honoring and protecting Shay Mountain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what I was stuck on was the fate of Big Foster, they all kinda knew he was an jackass- but loved him and he was their jackass - so I really tried to let the characters lead. I remembered that Asa told him that he loved him and used that as my inspiration. Comment and let me know what you think!


	39. Chapter 39

Chapter 39

Joy lay under her favorite tree in Hidden Glenn, the sun warming her face. She hadn't been here since she left the mountain with Billy all those years ago.

Her eyes snapped open and she sat up suddenly. "Why am I in Hidden Glenn?" She asked herself

A voice called out "So your old Fa can pay you a visit!"

Joyce inhaled sharply, and scrambled to her feet. "Fa?" She said

"It's me child" Foster V answered softly "Turn around Joybug"

Joyce's hand flew to her mouth the sound of her Fa's nickname for her, and she spun around.

Foster Farrell V greeting Joyce with a warm smile and open arms. She rushed forward and threw her arms around him, overwhelmed with emotion.

Joyce finally stepped back, taking her father's hands "How are you here? Is this a dream?"

"Something like that. We ain't supposed to get this close, but with all that's been going on we had to take certain measures" Foster V explained "I come to tell you we done our part to right the wrongs. It's up to you and young Hasil now."

"Right what wrongs? What is up to us?" Joyce asked "I don't understand Fa?"

"Your brother is with us now" he replied solemnly "had I let the Red Wolf take him all those years ago, none of this woulda happened. He had a weakness, and darkness preyed upon his soul. The spirits knew that and sent the Red Wolf to call him home, where he could be safe from the darkness. He failed on account of me. Having that darkness within the clan weakened the mountain. She had to protect from within and from the outside."

"You couldn't have known that Fa" Joyce replied "None of us could….."

Foster V nodded "I know child, I wasn't meant to come across the Red Wolf when he came for him. Nonetheless the spirits were shook by what I done and the mountain was weakened. Before we knew it, the outside was upon us and the clan was in turmoil. That's when we called Asa home, he is our Red Wolf. He knows the darkness on the outside and we won't lose sight of what must be done again."

Joyce took a moment to absorb her father's words and nodded "And what is up to Hasil and me?"

"The world below has changed" he replied "There are good people down there, but the dark forces are stronger than ever and they want this mountain. The old ways of keeping them out don't work no more. We need some of our people among them who can make proper use of the law, who can speak for us, and protect the mountain. That starts with you and Hasil. When his wife…."

Joyce interrupted "He isn't married….."

"Not yet, but he will be. And when Miss Sally Ann gets to be a lawyer, the two of them will be a powerful force" Foster V explained "They will follow in your footsteps and protect not just what's right for us, but for many good people."

Joyce smiled, excited about the future. "I won't stop until they make it right, I promise you that Fa"

"That's my girl" he replied with a smile "Now, somebody wanted me to pass a message along….."

Joyce's heart raced "Billy?"

Foster V shook his head "No child, but Billy is fine – it's just that he ain't blood – the mountain only provides a way for our blood. It's your Ma"

"Ma?" She replied, shocked "I didn't think…."

"Nothing like death to bring you to your senses" he replied gently "Only one of us could come like this, if we ain't just watching. She wasn't sure you'd want to see her so I came. But she said to tell you she's truly sorry, that she's proud of you, and loves you very much"

Joyce immediately chocked up, tears streaming down her face "Did she really say that?"

Her father pulled her into an embrace "She sure did, said letting you leave like that's the only regret she took to her grave. Can I tell her you forgive her?"

"I never held it against her "Joyce replied "But tell her I accept her apology and I love her too"

Kissing her forehead, he Fa promised "I will. Time for me to go Joybug, I love you. You give em' hell Gal"

"I will Fa…..I love you too" she said as she watched him walk away.

As he approached the tree line, he turned and his voice echoed through the Glenn "GED GED YAH!"

Smiling, Joyce responded loudly "GED GED YAH!"

__________________________

Siobhan and Declan watched from the trees at the edge of Shay Holler as Hasil and Sally Ann tended to their graves. They knew he'd be leaving the mountain soon and wanted to see him.

"He looks good" Declan said "His colors back and he's moving real well…"

"I can see that" Siobhan replied, watching Hasil intently

Declan hesitated, knowing she was still troubled. "He looks to be back to his ole self….."

"His ole self? You mean exceptin two fingers and whatever that bullet took from him?" Siobhan snapped

"Well you got even for that now didn't you?" Declan replied "Lady Neila was none too pleased you took off Fosters fingers before we got to his throat. He'll be walking among us short two finger for eternity now."

"Well so will our boy" Siobhan replied "Foster oughta count himself lucky, I had intentions to take something else off….."

"Siobhan!" Declan interrupted "You can't be like that, what's done is done and Hasil is fine…..better than fine….."

Siobhan sighed, moving close and leaning on her husband "I know. He ain't his ole self, he's different – but in a good way."

They watched Hasil and Sally Ann moving together, seeing the connected energy between them. Sally Ann picked flowers as Hasil picked weeds and straightened the markers on each grave. Accepting the flowers from Sally Ann, Hasil laid some on each grave. They joined hands and stood solemnly, heads bowed in prayer.

"Feels good, don't it?" Declan asked "Seeing him like this….."

Nodding, she replied "He's happy. He's on his way to finding his place in the world, which brings me some solace. Even if it ain't on the mountain"

"Now it ain't like we ain't gonna get to see him again" Declan consoled "and we'll see the Grandbabies from time to time. Everything's finally like it should be."

"I know, I know" Siobhan said with a smile "I'll count my blessings, he's alive, he's got Sally Ann, and he's on a path to do good in the world. But don't be expecting me to be sorry about taking that bastards fingers"

"Got no such expectation" Declan chuckled, wrapping arm around her shoulder. "Go on ahead and blow them a kiss….."

As they neared the ATV, Hasil stopped by the Knot Tree and said "This is the spot…close your eyes and just wait"

Sally Ann closed her eyes and stood next to Hasil, and just as he promised a gentle breeze swirled around them and she felt a slight tingling on her left cheek. She gasped "Whoa! What is that?"

"Minnie told me it's my Ma blowing me a kiss" Hasil replied with a smile "I used to think she was joshing me…but not anymore"

Sally Ann, long past questioning magic of the mountain, asked "What changed your mind?"

Hasil leaned forward to steal a kiss "You. Now I know what love feels like." He gestured toward the valley "Ma's out there, and so is my Fa"

Touched by his words, Sally Ann made a silent promise them to always make sure Hasil felt loved.

"C'mon Darlin" Hasil said, touching the small of her back "let's get this done so we can go home."  
___________________________

Lil Foster sat on the back porch, rocking Baby Ray to sleep and enjoying the sunrise. He'd just seen G'win and Stubby off, they were headed down the mountain to give witness to the coal companies destruction.

As Ray's breathing evened out, Foster set her down in her cradle and stood to stretch his legs. He stepped to the edge of the porch, suddenly feeling that he was not alone. Looking toward the trees, he saw a large Red Wolf emerge from the woods. G'win had told him what she'd seen and what she believed. He wasn't sure it was Asa, but there was something about this animal. It moved slowly and deliberately toward the porch. Lil Foster quickly put himself between the wolf and Ray. The wolf stopped 10 feet from the porch and dropped whatever it was carrying in his mouth, sitting back on its haunches. Foster stared as a feeling of dread washed over him. He met the wolves eyes, and knew G'win was right – Asa was the Red Wolf.

"Are you here for me?" Foster asked

"No" Asa's voice seemed to be inside his head "I just come to deliver a message. Fa is with us, his soul is free. As for you…..all of it…..the way he treated you, losing G'win, going to prison, your daughter..….all of it made you the man you are…..gave you the strength and heart to lead this clan. You are the returned one, lead this clan into peace."

Using his nose to push the items he dropped toward Foster, the Red Wolf turned and bolted into the forest.

Stunned, Foster VIII walked forward and knelt to retrieve the items. His Fa's knife and the arrowhead he'd worn around his neck. Two things he was never without. Foster let his other knee sink to the ground as the truth set in. Fa was gone….free…..his chest tightened as grief and solace warred inside his heart. Gripping the knife and arrowhead to his chest, Foster VIII closed his eyes. As tears started to spill, he knew he must grieve here and now and be done with it. On his knees, he allowed all the grief he held to pour out. When he finally rose to his feet, his thoughts were clear and his heart was sure. No longer the reluctant leader, he was the returned one – Foster Farrell VIII, Bren'in of the Clans Shay Mountain.  
__________________________

"Ledda!" Polly shouted "C'mon, the news is starting."

Ledda rushed back into Polly's living room and sat next to her as Anderson Cooper appeared on screen

"Breaking news out of Kentucky, the Offices and home of the Lt. Governor have been raided by the FBI. The FBI also served warrants on One Planet, a multinational Mining Corporation. Raids took place simultaneously at One Planet offices in Lexington, Louisville, and Blackburg Kentucky. There are unconfirmed reports of coordination with authorities in Mexico to raid One Planets factory in Juarez."

Footage on screen jumped between the US Locations, showing swarms of Federal Agents going in out and out of buildings with computers and boxes. This was intermingled with suit clad men being escorted out of those buildings in handcuffs. The last shot was of Wade helping a handcuffed Arnie Wilkes into the back of a squad car. 

Anderson continued

"Our sources tell us this is somehow tied to recent Greenpoint mine disaster and the fight to save Shay Mountain. At the top of the hour, we will go live where the Department of Justice and ACLU will issue a joint statement and take questions."

Polly looked over at Ledda, who had tears in her eyes. "Hey…..you okay?" She asked

Ledda nodded and took a moment to compose herself "When we were up on the mountain, and I confronted the man that killed Breece – I told him there was no justice to be had. But I was wrong."

"Don't beat yourself up…." Polly started

"I'm not, he was just a tool. He didn't know it, but he was just what One Planet hoped for when they went after the mountain" Ledda said "This…..this is justice. These people won't be able to do this to anyone else and they will pay dearly for what they've done. Shay Mountain is safe, that's all I wanted. I have a feeling that a Blackburg will begin to thrive, and that's all Breece wanted." She stood and started toward the front porch, feeling overwhelmed "I just need a minute…"

Stepping out on the porch, Ledda sat down and stared at Shay Mountain – looming large over the town, stronger and prouder than ever. Closing her eyes, she leaned her head back and thought of Breece. She saw his smiling face in her mind's eye, and heard his voice whisper in her ear "Honey, it's alright….."


	40. Chapter 40

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is so extra, but I just could not cut anything! So in celebration of the 32nd birthday of Kyle Gallner, here is my fairytale ending for Outsiders!

Chapter 40

Joyce stood on her deck, tapping her glass with a fork "Alright everyone, Hasil would like to say something"

Hasil stood as the team turned their attention toward him "I just want to thank y'all, truly, for what you're doing for my kin. We can't pay you, but I thought maybe I could share a little something with you that most folks won't ever get a chance to try"

Hasil reached under the table and pulled out a jug of Farrell Wine and the group went wild

"Very little" Joyce cautioned with a laugh "No more than a shot each."

They each raised a shot glass, with the exception of Sally Ann who was drinking ice tea, in a toast "To Shay Mountain" Ledda exclaimed

A chorus of "To Shay Mountain!" Followed as everyone downed a shot of Farrell Wine, and after a moment of stunned silence everyone started to speak at once.

"Wow!" That's amazing!" "Whew, that was smooth!" That's like sunshine in a glass"

"Thank you" Hasil said "This is from the last batch I made, probably last batch I'll ever make."

Joyce accepted the bottle from Hasil "We're just going to put this away, tomorrow is a big day for all of us – and I can't have a bunch of hung over losties on my hands"

The team laughed as they returned to preparations for the big day. The indictments had been secured and warrants would be served tomorrow.

Ellis stood before the group "So the plan is that we all hunker down here for the next 2-3 days to weather the initial fall out. Once we have a lay of the land, we can determine how to proceed"

Dru chimed in "Based on the indictments, there will be 4 local arrests in Blackburg. The Lt Governor and his chief of staff will be arrested at the capital, and 3 more arrests at One Planet headquarters. After the initial uproar, we should be able to determine the level of security needed going forward."

"Dru and I will escort Joyce and Ellis to the press conference tomorrow" Claire advised "we'll work closely with DOJ to coordinate any follow up interviews"

Joyce interrupted "Dinners here!" She called out, as she came through the door carrying Pizzas. "We've been traveling and working all day. Time to eat and relax!"

As everyone settled in to eat, Ellis found himself sitting with Sally Ann and Hasil

"Man, that Farrell Wine was something else" he commented "I'm from Oklahoma, so I've had my share of moonshine. I've never had anything that compares to it. You ran the still?"

"Me and my cousin Krake" Hasil replied "Krake's line come up with the first brew during the war between the states. He didn't have nobody to pass it on to, so I been helping him for the about 10 years now."

"That was just amazing" Ellis replied "I dabble in craft beer, brewing at home. What you did is phenomenal."

"I was working on a couple beers myself!" Hasil said "brewed 3 batches, but was still working to get em right"

Sally Ann tilted her head, taking note of the excitement in Hasil's voice.

"Really?" Ellis asked "What kind do you brew?"

"Our folks is Irish" Hasil explained "So we all brew Ale's. I was working on my own, I'm partial to the fruit brews. Tried a Red Ale with Elderberry. I got good color on that one, but gotta figure out how to cut some of the bitter out. Was working on a Pale Ale with Persimmon too, last try was a little too sweet with a bit too much head on it."

"Man!" Ellis enthused "that's so cool, how do you get a head on it without a keg?"

"I don't know what that is" Hasil asked "I just use corn sugar and seal it up real tight for about 3 or 4 weeks to get it right."

"Dude, you gotta brew….."Ellis was interrupted by his phone "I'll be right back…."

"You make beer?" Sally Ann asked

"I was trying" Hasil answered "Like I said, I only brewed 3 batches."

"I just didn't know…." She answered "You like it?"

Hasil nodded "Making the Farrell Wine was fun, but it wasn't really my own brew. I was just getting started, but I liked it a lot, felt good coming up with my own….."

"Hey Hasil" Dru called from the other side of the deck "Can you take a look at this map? We need to make sure we mark the area that was impacted by the poison"

Hasil squeezed Sally Ann's hand "Be right back" He said, as he stood to assist Dru

Watching him walk away, Sally Ann smiled to herself, excited and relieved. Something he had a passion and talent for that didn't involve fighting…

___________________________________________________

"Good Afternoon everyone, let's get started" Taeson said "Who do I have on the call?

"I'm on Tae" Lena answered "I'm in the Louisville office and I have Kat, Dru, and Claire here with me"

"Joyce, Sally Ann, and Teddy are here" Joy answered "First day in the the new ACLU office in Blackburg!"

"Hasil and I are on with the Sheriff" added Ellis

"Sounds like the gangs all here" Taeson responded "It's been two weeks since we served our first warrants so I wanted to provide an update from Justice and check in with everyone. Joyce, you want to kick it off?"

"Sure!" Joyce answered "So after the state met with Justice and they got a better understanding of their liability and culpability, they became much more open to negotiation. Thank you Taeson!"

"You're most welcome" Taeson replied

"The big news is they have agreed to dismiss the case against the Bren'in and pardon him for the prison escape" Joyce continued "Once we got that out of the way, we presented them with the list of demands. We've asked them for repair and restoration of the land tainted by the poison, removal of the fence and barricades installed by One Planet, aid to assist in working around said damage, birth certificates for members of the the clan, and that Shay Mountain be designated protected land and placed in a trust."

"Birth certificates?" Lena asked

"In our current climate, I thought it best to have an option to gain proof of citizenship" Joyce explained

"Good call" Taeson agreed "That's quite a list"

"I'm just getting started" Joyce responded "We meet with them again on Friday"

"And what else is going on in Blackburg?" Taeson continued "Ellis, do you have any news for us?"

"As Joyce said, our the Blackburg office is open." Ellis replied "Sally Ann has graciously agreed to join our staff as the office manager. She, Teddy, and myself make up the local ACLU presence. Joyce and Hasil are working from our offices to partner in service our mutual clients on Shay Mountain. We've had a lot of people come in regarding claims from working for One Planet, as well as for the Greenpoint Mine damage. The early FEMA reports is the sludge was poorly contained and the volume released is more than twice what was permitted by EPA regulations. We will be dividing our time between supporting Joyce and investigating those claims."

"Thank you Ellis" Taeson acknowledged "And what about the rest of our ACLU team?"

"We're in Louisville" Lena answered "Also supporting Joyce and representing our clients who offered testimony against the state and One Planet"

"Are you comfortable with the protection arrangements?" Tae asked

"Yes" Claire answered "the DOJ team is really solid, our clients are in good hands."

"Glad to hear it" Taeson replied "Well to get you up to speed on the Justice cases, Arnie and Wes Wilkes are now cooperating witnesses. Arnie has confirmed Matt Meyers murdered Haylie Grimes, his testimony matches the physical evidence. Meyers DNA was found on her person as Wade suspected. We've also connected the dots between One Planets Mexico plant, West Virginia, and Shay Mountain. We are close to having the Lt. Governors cooperation as well. His team is trying to talk us out of jail time, and that just not going to happen. But they know that, so I expect we'll have a deal shortly. All this will lead to additional charges against the One Planet Executives. I expect requests to negotiate plea deals to come shortly thereafter"

A round of applause followed that announcement, and Taeson responded "Good news, but we need to keep our heads in the game. Lets plan on having these calls once per week, but if anything urgent pops up – reach out"  
_________________________________________________

After the call ended, Wade pulled an envelope from his desk and handed it to Hasil.

"Forgot about this with all that's been going on" Wade said "This is for you from Haylie Grimes"

"What is it?" Hasil asked as he opened the envelope and pulled out a stack of papers

"May I?" Asked Ellis. Hasil handed the paperwork to him

"It's the title that house" Wade said "The one where you had the dust up with my deputy."

"What's that mean, title?" Hasil asked

"The title to a house is paperwork that says who owns it" Ellis answered "And from the looks of this document, you and Sally Ann own a home at 22 Booth Hill Road."

"What?!" Hasil asked, shocked "Sheriff, I don't understand…"

"Haylie Grimes bought that house, then called and reported y'all as trespassers. That's when my deputy showed up. She was planning to use it to force you into helping her one way or another" Wade explained "But whatever happened on the mountain changed her mind about that, changed her mind about a lot of things…."

"So is this part of her estate?" Ellis asked, continuing to examine the paperwork

"Nope, she put them on the title when she closed on the house…..same day she died" Wade said "Told her secretary he was owed"

"I'll look through this some more Hasil, but it looks legit - you guys own the house free and clear" Ellis said "Keys are in the envelope here….."

Wade extended his hand "I gotta pick my girl up from work, her car is in the shop."

Hasil nodded, still stunned "Yeah…..tell Ms. Dana I said hey…"

"See you Friday Wade" Ellis said shaking his hand

As Wade walked out, Ellis turned to Hasil and asked "You okay?"

Hasil took a deep breath "Yeah. Just…Ms. Haylie turned out to be a good person and I'm real bothered by what happened to her. She didn't owe me nothing…"

"I suspect this gift was meant to sooth her soul as much as it was to help you" Ellis said as they walked toward his car "Is this house special to you guys?"

"Real special" Hasil said, sliding into the front seat. He shook his head "Wasn't too long ago we didn't have no place to stay, and now we got 3 places!"

Ellis laughed and replied "Technically 2 places since I'm renting the duplex. Lets drive by and take a look"  
__________________________________________

Ellis looked around as Hasil unlocked the door "This is a nice place" he commented "Huge yard, great porch…"

As they walked in, Hasil could see the place was just as they left it….the mattress was still in the same place on the floor…

Ellis looked around " Décor is a little dated, but we can fix that. Mind if I look around?"

"Go right ahead. Since you know so much about fixing electric and what not, I'd appreciate knowing what you think of the place." Hasil replied

As Ellis started his inspection, Hasil lingered in the living room…..memories washing over him. Smiling, he moved to the kitchen, recalling their first dance as he moved across the room – he stopped in front of the sink and closed his eyes, reliving the moment he fell in love. This is where they would raise their family, this was home.

Hasil opened his eyes as he heard Ellis approaching.

"This place is in great shape!" Ellis enthused "Get rid of this wallpaper, fresh coat of paint, and some small cosmetics and you're good to go."

"I wanna surprise Sally Ann" Hasil replied "But I'd need some help….."

"Say no more" Ellis said "I'm in…..everybody will be in! We'll get Joyce and Frieda in on this and make it perfect."

"Think we can have it ready by my birthday?" Hasil asked "the day Joyce got em to put down on that birth certificate for me?"

"That's just about 3 weeks away" Ellis said "We should be able to, but we need to get started pretty quick. Why don't we get everybody together tomorrow while Sally Ann is taking that software class?"

"That'll work real good" Hasil agreed "That gives us all morning to get it figured out"

"Well let's get going" Ellis said "You owe me a beer making lesson, and our calendars for the the next 3 weeks just filled up!"  
___________________________________________________

"We have a signed plea agreement from the Lt. Governor" Taeson shared on the weekly call "Of course I can't share it with you, but we will be filing tomorrow"

"And we will file a request for Public Information shortly thereafter!" Joyce enthused "Now I know why the state was pushing so hard for a deal today."

"Ummm hmmm" Taeson replied "they will have zero leverage once that document is public. It is every states nightmare"

"They are already trying to get ahead of the damage here" Ellis said "The State offered unprecedented tax breaks for new business to come into this area and recalled the National Guard"

"The mayors got meetings this week with two auto manufacturers and a credit card call center to talk about moving business to the the area" Wade chimed in "and some folks from Hollywood wanting to make a movie about what's been happening here are coming in next week."

"Well keep your ears to the ground" Taeson cautioned "lets make sure we don't let up until we cross the finish line."  
______________________________________________________

As Sally Ann and Hasil left the ACLU offices that evening, she extended the keys and asked "Do you want to get some practice in?"

"Naw, I practiced when I was out with Ellis today" Hasil said "You go on and drive and I can get on my homework"

"Homework in the car?" She asked, Hasil was taking an adult education class at the Library. Dana had been hired to replace Joyce at the library. She had a Masters Degree in Reading and Literacy, and started a reading class for Adults as her first project.

"Yeah" he replied "I gotta write down ten street names and then sound em out and read em to the class tomorrow."

Hasil had been busy these last 3 weeks, he was working with Joyce and going back and forth up the mountain as needed. He was also helping Ellis fix up the duplex, taking class at the library, and he'd gotten his birth certificate, social security number, and drivers permit. Sally Ann was proud of the way he was jumping in, she spent most days at the ACLU office and he seemed to have things to do and places to be all day.

"You sure you aren't taking on too much?" She asked as she pulled out to of the parking lot "You're still not completely healed"

"I'm fit as fiddle" Hasil replied "The Doc even said I could start working out again if I wanted"

"Like working out for fighting?" Sally Ann asked

"I didn't say that" Hasil said, distractedly as he tried to work on his assignment.

Irritated, she replied "Why would working out even come up with the doctor if you weren't talking about fighting?!"

"Sally Ann!" Hasil replied, exasperated "I gotta make sure I get these words wrote down right. Let me do my work and you can fuss at me when we get home."

Sally Ann narrowed her eyes and turned her attention to the road, her inner dialogue running wild (Fuss? If he thinks he is going back to fighting right now he is sadly mistaken I will move past fussing and pitch a full body fit)

They rode in silence, Sally Ann seething and Hasil trying to focus on his assignment. As she slowed down or stopped for Hasil to gather street names, Sally Ann started to soften. She continued her inner dialogue (He is working really hard. And I know he wouldn't do anything as serious as set a fight without talking to me about it. Just relax Sally Ann)

She felt the tension leaving her neck as she turned onto their street, lingering at the stop sign so Hasil could write down his the last street name. As she parked the car in front of the apartment, Sally Ann turned to Hasil and said "Sorry I snapped at you."

Hasil reached over and took her hand "I'm sorry too. Let's get on inside, I'll help with dinner and we can talk"

Sally Ann nodded and both go out of the car. As they walked hand in hand toward their apartment, a man exited a car across the street and waved.

"What is he doing here?!" Sally Ann exclaimed as Zach crossed the street and walked toward them.

"I don't know." Hasil replied "I ain't seen him since that last fight"

Sally Ann started to move toward Zach "I'm gonna….."

"No, you ain't gonna" Hasil replied, tightening his grip on her hand "Simmer down"

Sally Ann did a double take "Simmer down?!"

Hasil didn't answer, and continued to move toward the stairs to the apartment. As they met up with Zach in front of the steps, he let go of Sally Ann's hand as Zach extended his.

"Hey Farrell" Zach greeted, shaking Hasil's hand. Sally Ann stood with her arms crossed looking none too happy, so Zach just nodded and said "Miss Sally Ann"

"What do you want Zach?" She asked tersely

Zach threw both hands up "I'm just checking in…folks said they'd seen Hasil here around town and I just wanted to let you know we'll be starting back up next weekend"

"I appreciate you coming by Zach" Hasil said "But I ain't in no shape to fight right now"

Zach nodded "I heard about what happened…"

"Then why are you here?" Sally Ann interrupted

"Well folks who saw him around town said he didn't look like…" Zach started

"I'm Hasil's manager, you want to know what's going on then you ask me" Sally Ann replied "he was shot and isn't healthy enough for a fight."

"Right now" Hasil added, giving Sally Ann a look "We know how to find you when the time comes, so its best you don't come around again"

"Got it" Zach said, backing away "There's a lot of money to be made, I wouldn't wait too long…."

As he crossed the street to his car, Sally Ann turned and marched up the stairs. Hasil waited for Zach to drive off and then followed.

Hasil found Sally Ann pacing in the kitchen "Sally Ann?"

"Don't try to tell me him showing up here was a coincidence!" She replied

"I can't tell you that cause I don't know what that means" Hasil replied "what's going on?! Why're you so riled up about me fighting?"

Sally Ann stopped, realizing he was right. "Its not safe, the doctor said….."

"The doctor said it's too early to tell" Hasil reminded "said it'd be about 6 months before he'd have an idea what I could do."

"Do you know how dangerous your injury is to a fighter?" She asked "Liver damage…..internal bleeding…."

"You been reading the Google again?" Hasil asked.

Sally Ann turned away, a bit embarrassed. The doctor told her that most of that stuff she was reading about was highly unlikely and encouraged her to stop…..she was freaking herself out. She exhaled "Not the Google, just Google…and maybe a little…..it's just…..I came close to losing you. I don't want you to fight anymore. Not right now, not ever."

Hasil took Sally Ann by the hand and led her to the couch "After working with y'all the last few weeks – everybody's just lit up by the work y'all are doing. Especially you, I'm as proud as I can be watching you work and learn. I know you're gonna be a real good lawyer."

Sally Ann blushed "Babe….."

"Let me finish" Hasil said gently "I'm here for good, so I gotta find something for me down here. If it ain't a craft that I got a passion for, it's at least gotta be something that don't make me crazy. I don't want what happened to your brother to happen to me"

Sally Ann suddenly understood "I didn't think about it that way" she said quietly

Hasil nodded "Fighting might be it if the doc says I can. I ain't stuck on it, but I don't want to say I won't do it. I'll do what I gotta do to make sure my family is taken care of. But we ain't gotta worry about that right now, okay? We got some paper saved up and Joyce thinks its gonna be at least a year of me getting paid for helping my kin. Just like you said up the mountain, one problem at a time"

"One problem at a time" Sally Ann agreed "I'll stop reading "the Google" and try to focus on what's "mission critical" as Ellis would say"

"Right" Hasil said, leaning in for a kiss "and fixin supper is mission critical right now, I'm starving!"

Sally Ann smiled "You study, I'll work on dinner."

"You sure?" Hasil asked "I can help…"

"No, you work on your assignment" she replied, headed for the kitchen "Dana don't play, so you need to be ready for class tomorrow"

"You got that right" Hasil said, grabbing his bag and moving to the table "One fella tried to tell her he didn't have time to do his work and lit into him something fierce."

As Sally Ann moved around the kitchen, her mind was focused on her new mission – helping Hasil find his passion.  
________________________________________________________

We've reached a settlement with the state!" Joyce exclaimed

Her announcement was met with a round of applause and chorus of cheers from those on the conference call.

"That's amazing Joyce" Taeson described "You are certainly living up to the legend!"

"We got all of our initial asks as well as concessions on some additional concerns and an agreement for handling certain civil rights violations." Joyce continued "We're all at my place working on the final review. I'll send out a bullet point summary later this evening and we'll be headed up the mountain tomorrow to discuss it with the Bren'in"

"It will be interesting to see how One Planet reacts the settlement" Ellis commented "They are very much dug in at this point, but Foushee is still running the show."

"Rumor around here is the board is planning to oust him" Dru shared "Waiting to hear back from our source, but they think they're planning to call an emergency meeting by Friday"

"With the number of cooperating witnesses we have and the high profile nature of his case, that seems inevitable" Taeson added "He now has he full attention of the Department of Justice in this case and they'll want to separate themselves from that,"

"They pulled most their people out of town and shut down the offices here" Wade added "They got a couple guys answering questions for FEMA and that's it."

"Next week's call should be interesting then" Taeson replied "this is the home stretch team!"

Sitting in Joyce's dining room, the team wrapped up the review of the state agreement.

"I think we've covered everything" Joyce said, looking over Sally Ann's shoulder to review the notes she had taken "Hasil, you have anything to add?"

"Don't think so" Hasil replied "I hope that no trespassing law keeps folks from trying to head up the mountain"

"Taking another film crew up to interview the Bren'in ought to help" Wade said "its been mostly news folks trying to head up there."

"Anybody else have anything to add? Ellis? Wade? Teddy? Sally Ann?" Joyce asked, and getting no takers declared "Meeting adjourned! Let's eat, we have BBQ from Pops Place on the deck."

Everyone headed out to the deck where Ledda and Dana sat visiting. Ellis trailed the rest of the group, having stopped in the kitchen to grab two metal cylinders.

"What's all this?" Ledda asked

"Ledda, you don't recognize a keg when you see one?" Dana asked

"You are correct Dana, this is a keg" Ellis said "and a Co2 tank"

Ellis sat the items on the end of the picnic table, and Hasil joined him and began to hook up the tank.

"You're all in for a special treat" Ellis explained "This is Hasil's first batch of craft beer since he came down the mountain. Totally his recipe, I just supplied the keg and tank."

"Is that why you hauled all those Elderberries back down with you?" Joyce asked

"Yeah" Hasil replied, excited "Ellis showed me how to use keg and I made a batch while we was taking a break from painting and such."

Sally Ann handed Hasil a red solo cup, his excitement made her smile "You should take the first taste Babe "

Hasil expertly dispensed the beer, but handed the first cup to Ellis "I want Ellis to take the first taste, he talked me into doing it!"

Ellis accepted the cup, and took a sip, followed by a long drink. He closed his eyes for a moment and then smiled and opened his eyes "This is a masterpiece! Seriously man, amazing!"

Hasil beamed with pride as he filled up cups and Sally Ann handed them out. The praise was universal.

"Elderberry wine is really bitter, how did you avoid that?" Joyce asked

"I mixed the elderberries with honey and let it set for a day" Hasil explained "Then I added a bit of corn sugar, even though I was using this contraption to get the head going."

All through dinner, people asked Hasil questions and he talked animatedly – eager to answer questions and share. Sally Ann went back to their conversation about him finding his something he could be passionate about. She noticed Ellis step inside to take a phone call and excused herself to restroom and waited in the hall until he was done talking.

"Ellis, can I talk to you for a minute?" Sally Ann asked

"Sure Sally Ann, what's up?" He replied

"Thank you for helping Hasil with the beer." She continued "he's so excited about it"

"He has a real talent" Ellis said "he's creative and super intuitive about what the ale needs, really a natural brewmaster. It takes most brewers years to perfect a formula. I should be thanking him, it's not often you get to experience working with someone like him."

"He's been worried that he won't find anything that he's passionate about down here that he could do and earn a living" Sally Ann explained "Do you think…"

"Are you kidding me?" Ellis interrupted "Hell yes! If he wants to do that as a business instead of a hobby he would have no problem selling it. I can help with a business plan and I'd love to invest in the start up. He is that good."

"We've got a little money saved up, can you help me buy him some supplies?" She asked "I'd like to surprise him at this birthday party next week. We can talk to him about it then. Maybe Joyce will let us store everything here until we find a bigger place"

Ellis smiled "I can do that, and I'm sure storage won't be a problem."

Taeson wrapped up the call "So two big deals this week, Don Fushee being fired from his own company and DOJ signing an agreement with the State of Kentucky. We've made some good progress this past few weeks, and I think we can move the calls to bi-weekly. Any concerns with that?"

"Not on our end" Lena answered "The clan elders signed the settlement with the state. We are returning back home since that portion is done, but Ellis and Teddy will be staying in Blackburg and we will continue to support them."

"No concerns here'" Ellis replied

"I'm good with that" Joyce commented "I'll be focused on setting up for the administration of the settlement – I won't have much to report in the near future"

"Great!" Taeson replied "Don't hesitate to reach out if something pops up. I'll send a notice to set the next call"  
______________________________________________

Hasil was driving and Sally Ann thought they were headed to Joyce's place for a birthday get together for him.

"You missed the turn Babe" she said "just make a right at this stop sign and we can circle…."

"I got me a short cut this way" Hasil replied as he turned left

"What short cut?" Sally Ann asked "It's the opposite direction, there is no short cut this way"

"Sure there is" he explained "you'll see, its right up here"

Sally Ann was getting impatient "Seriously? Hasil this is the wrong …."

Looking around, Sally Ann realized they were on Booth Hill Road. Hasil brought the car to a stop in front of her secret place…their place…

"Hasil?" She said, staring out that at those house. Someone has painted the house and the yard had been mowed. There were even flowers in the beds upfront and a swing on the front porch.

"Hmmm?" Hasil replied

"What are we doing here?" She whispered

"Just wanted to come by" he replied in a whisper, then asked "How come we're whispering?"

"It looks good" Sally Ann replied wistfully "Whoever bought it did a good job."

"They sure did" Hasil agreed "C'mon, let's take a look!" He opened his car door and was striding toward the porch before Sally Ann could protest

"Hasil!" She whisper-yelled, jumping out of the car and trying to catch up

Hasil bounded up on the porch and started peeking through the windows

"Oh my God! Hasil Stop! we can't just….."Sally Ann stepped up on the porch as Hasil made himself comfortable on the porch swing. Still whisper yelling, she asked "What are you doing?!"

Hasil picked up a Manila envelope on the bench and looked at it "Well look here….your names on this here envelope" He held onto the envelope and patted the bench next to him.

"My name?" She asked skeptically "Hasil what's going on?"

"Come on now" Hasil encouraged "Set down…."

Sally Ann slowly walked toward Hasil and sat down next to him. "What is this?"

He handed her the envelope and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "Open it…."

Sally Ann looked at him, then opened the envelope and pulled out the papers. As she read through the documents, she looked at Hasil "I don't understand…this says we own this house."

"We do….Ms. Haylie bought it and sent the law to run us off that day" Hasil explained "but then after her trip up the mountain, she put our names down on these papers when she went to to sign."

"What…..why?" She asked, confused

"Lady that worked for Ms Haylie told the Sheriff that she felt real bad after what she saw" Hasil explained "Said she felt like she owed me seeing as she bought the place to try to make me help"

"How long have you known about this?" She asked quietly, still in shock

"Bout 3 weeks now" he answered "Me and Ellis been working on fixin some stuff inside and cleaning it up. Hey! Hey now…..don't cry Darlin…."

"Are you sure?" She asked through tears "Did Ellis look at the papers?"

"Yeah, I'm sure" Hasil assured her, pulling her close "Ellis looked at them papers and he made sure that the county office had papers that said the same thing. Its ours."

Sally Ann buried her face in Hasil's neck as she worked to compose herself "This house" she said quietly "This house saved my life. It was an escape for me…..being here kept me sane when….." she stopped, exhaling to maintain her composure "it was safe….I was safe here. And then our time here…..this house gave me life….I was loved here…"

Hasil held her close "You'll always be loved " he promised "Always…"

Sally Ann pulled back and looked at the paperwork again, smiling tentatively "It's really ours?"

Hasil smiled and took the keys out of his pocket "Yep! C'mon, lets go in and see….."

As they approached the door together, Hasil turned to Sally Ann and said "Close your eyes!"

Sally Ann laughed and threw her hand over her eyes. She heard the door unlock, and was soon lifted off her feet. "Hasil! Put me down….."

"Nope….I'm carrying you over the threshold!" He replied and entered the house "Grab that door for me."

Sally Ann smiled and reached back to close the door as they entered.

Hasil put her down and commented "We put all the furniture in the garage so we could work. You can sort through later and see what you wanna keep."

Sally Ann looked around in amazement. The wallpaper was gone, and all the wall were painted a soft gray and the trim was white "These are the same colors I picked for the duplex? That's why you guys made a big deal of me going with you to pick?"

"Yeah, I wanted to make sure you'd like it" he replied

"It's beautiful Babe!" She said, walking forward and taking in the room "What did you do to the floors? They look brand new."

"We just shined em" Hasil said, taking her hand and leading her into the next room "Everybody helped…..Butch, Ms. Frieda, Ellis, Teddy, Cousin Joyce….the Sheriff, Ms. Dana and Ms. Ledda even pitched in. We took off the wallpaper and painted all the walls, trim, and cabinets. Sheriff found some fellas to paint the outside and fix the yard. Ellis put up the new lights and fans and Teddy put new faucets on the sinks and tubs."

Sally Ann was amazed, it felt like the same place she'd grown to love – but looked brand new. It was warm and bright. Turning to Hasil, she found herself at a loss for words…..

"You ain't gonna cry again is you?" Hasil asked, concerned

Sally Ann laughed "I'll try not to, but this is just amazing – I love it!"

Hasil let out a breath he didn't realize he holding and pulled her close "I'm glad, this place means a lot to me too and it was real important to do this right."

They walked through the rest of the house, and finally ended in the kitchen. Sally Ann said "I don't want to leave, but everyone is waiting for us at Joyce's place….."

"One more thing" Hasil said, leading her to the back door "Lemme show you out back first, we done some work out there too." He put his hand on the door knob and said "Okay, close your eyes….."

"Again? You are not carrying me over this threshold!" She replied with a smile

"Just close your eyes Woman" Hasil said, leaning in for a kiss "I wanna get you to a good spot so you can see everything at once"

Sally Ann laughed and did as he asked. She heard the door open and then felt Hasil's hand in hers guiding her outside onto the patio.

Hasil leaned close and whispered "Okay, open your eyes"

"Surprise!"

Her hand flew to her mouth as she looked out to see all the friends and family they'd invited for Joyce's place to celebrate Hasil's birthday.

Frieda ran up and offered her a hug "Happy housewarming!"

Sally Ann hugged her back "Oh my God! How did you guys pull this off?!"

"This is all Ms. Frieda's doing" Hasil confessed "My job was to get you here."

Frieda smiled "I'm a master of deception when it's for a good cause! Come on down and say hello"

Sally Ann and Hasil greeted everyone, all the people Hasil named that helped with the house was there and Dru, Claire, Kat, and Lena came down from Louisville to join the party.

After dinner, everyone was enjoying music and good company. Frieda sent Hasil and Butch to the store to pick up some more ice, and then ran back into the yard and announced "Okay Ellis, you got 15 minutes!"

Ellis smiled and grabbed Sally Ann's hand "Now what?!" She asked suspiciously as Ellis walked her over to the shed in the backyard. "I am not closing my eyes again…."

Ellis laughed "You don't have to close your eyes. I just want to show you what your money bought for Hasil's birthday gift."

The entire party followed and waited with Sally Ann as Ellis opened the door to the shed and turned on the light. Inside was everything Hasil needed to make his beer.

"Wow….Ellis this is….." Sally Ann started "He'll love this!"

"This place was perfect for it, it looked like it was used as workshop ." Ellis said, showing her around "We insulated and put up drywall, painted, and put new flooring down. It was already plumbed, had power, and look up – skylights! We got shelves for his supplies, a couple of stainless steel tables for work surfaces, a ½ dozen kegs, boil kettles, and this small refrigeration unit."

"This stuff cost more than I gave you ….." Sally Ann started

"Not a whole lot more, all the equipment is used, so I got a good price. Let's not worry about that tonight. Like I said, I'm willing to invest if he wants a partner" Ellis replied "If not, you guys can pay me back as he makes sales."

"Thank you so much Ellis" Sally Ann said, hugging him "You have no idea what this means to us"  
________________________________________________

Sally Ann and Hasil sat on the porch swing after saying good night to their guests.

"Reckon we should get back?" Hasil asked

"I guess we should…..I wish we could stay here tonight." Sally Ann replied "When can we start moving in? "

"Whenever you want" Hasil replied "You can talk to Mr. Jeffers tomorrow and let him know"

Sally Ann stood, holding on to Hasil's hand "So before we go, I have a birthday surprise for you."

Hasil smiled…..that smile….. "Do you now?"

She laughed "Yes I do, the same people who moved the party over here for you moved the surprise for me. So stop looking at me like that…..."

Hasil stood and pulled her close "Like what?" He asked, leaning in to kiss her neck

"Like I'm a snack" she replied, tilting her head to allow him access

"You ain't no snack" Hasil replied with mock outrage "more like dessert….warm….sweet"

Sally Ann forced herself to focus "Save your dirty talk for later tonight….right now….I need you to come with me."

"Now who's talking dirty?" Hasil asked, as she pulled him into the house.

As they approached the shed, Sally Ann asked "So you remember the our talk the other night, when the fighting came up?"

"Yeah" Hasil replied wearily "I recall we agreed we don't need to be worried about that right now….."

"I'm not….." Sally Ann assured him "But you also said you wanted to find a craft that you had a passion for….something that lit you up"

"Right…." He agreed

"So I watched you when you were talking about the beer you made, and Babe…..you were lit up! I saw your passion for the craft" she exclaimed "Everybody is still talking about how great it was!"

"I know, but that don't help me provide for our family" Hasil responded

"I think it could" Sally Ann replied, opening the door to the shed and turning on the light.

Hasil inhaled sharply as he took in the room. Slowly, he moved forward…..stopping and touching each piece of equipment until he made his way around the room. With his hand on the Brew Kettle, he looked at Sally Ann and asked…. "How?"

"Ellis….I talked to him about this, he thinks you can make a living doing this." She replied " I gave him some money and he invested some and did the work. He wants to be your partner, if you want. Otherwise, we can pay him back after as you make sales."

Hasil turned, walking the length of the room again, taking it all in.

Sally Ann was getting nervous, he wasn't saying anything.

He's just staring at me. "Babe…..say something"

Hasil ran both hands through his hair and looked around again before striding forward and wrapping Sally Ann in a fierce hug. They held each other tightly, Hasil finally whispering hoarsely "Thank you Darlin…..Thank you" Leaning back, he held her face in his hands "I love you"

" I love you" Sally Ann replied, leaning in for a kiss.

He pulled her in tightly, deepening the kiss and walking her back until her backside hit one of the tables. "I'm ready for my dessert right now" Hasil whispered as his lips moved from her mouth to her ear down to her neck and back into a sweet warm kiss. Without breaking the kiss, he lifted her up onto to the table and kicked the door closed.  
__________________________________________________

"Morning everyone, happy Friday!" Lena said "Taeson couldn't make the call today, so he asked me to stand in for our two week check in. Joyce, would you like to start?"

"Sure" Joyce replied "The agreement between the State and Clans has been fully signed and entered into record. We'll focus on the administration of the agreement over the next few weeks. Hasil and Teddy spent the last 4 days guiding the state team through the areas that require immediate intervention. They'll be back this afternoon and Teddy will put together a summary of observations and concerns. The state will submit preliminary plans to address the findings by the end of next week"

"Love it!" Lena replied "Anything we can do to help?"

"Not right now - Ellis, Sally Ann and I have a good handle on it" Joyce responded "but we'll raise our hands if need be"

"Sounds good." Lena responded "Kat, you have an update for us?"

"Yes, good morning everyone" Kat responded "I have news on our whistleblowers. Josh was offered the Chief Of Staff role for the new Lt. Governor, so he is back to work. Mary Beth was given very generous severance package and full retirement from One Planet. Both are still under DOJ protection for now, but the fact that they are able to move forward with their lives is a big step forward."

"You did a great job supporting them and advocating on their behalf Kat" Lena praised "Glad to hear they're doing well. Sheriff, any update on what's on in the county?"

"Yeah, the State kicked One Planet off the FEMA investigation since they're now the defendant. They don't have any more of their people in town far as I know." Wade explained "Thanks to State subsidies we landed a Auto Manufacturing Plant, and we still got a couple of call centers looking at the area."

"Awesome!" Lena enthused "And speaking of One Planet, another of the indicted executives has agreed to a plea and will become a cooperating witness. Taeson really believes its only a matter of time before Fushee asks for a plea."

"Now that he has been terminated" Joyce added "One Planet has actually approached us asking to open talks. They're not admitting guilt of course, but reaching out in an effort to quote -understand our concerns."

"We are close to wrapping this up, I know everyone is looking forward to being able to focus on rebuilding and moving forward." Lena replied "Okay folks, Taeson will send out the next call notice. Anything comes up before that, please reach out"  
_____________________________________________________

Hasil was anxious to get home to Sally Ann, he didn't like being away from her this long. He'd been showing the state folks all the damage done by One Planet. Stubby and Teddy came along to help and they'd covered a lot of ground the past 4 days.

"I need to go up and let the Bren'in know we're done" Hasil said "shouldn't take me no more than an hour"

"We'll be ready to head down by the time you get back" Teddy promised

"You coming down with us Stub?" Hasil asked

"I'll bring up the rear and make sure you get through the valley." Stubby offered "Don't want the squirrely one getting lost again. Ain't never heard a grown man scream like that….."

"We'd sure appreciate that, he ain't got another change of pants with him!" Hasil commented with a smile as he was leaving "Be back shortly….."

Hasil had to stop himself from greeting G'win as Bren'in when she answered the door "Morning Ma'am, I'm hoping for a word with the Bren'in"

"C'mon in Hasil" G'win greeted "You're looking well"

"Thank you ma'am" Hasil said "Still aches some, but I'm moving around real well now."

"Good to hear" she said "Sally Ann doing alright?"

Hasil nodded "Yes'm, she is. I'll tell her you asked after her"

"Please do" G'win replied "You go on outback, he's out there splitting firewood"

Hasil stepped outside and found Foster VIII stacking firewood. Stepping down into the yard, he bowed and greeted him "Morning Bren'in"

The Bren'in looked up and smiled "Hasil! Wasn't expecting you this morning Cousin" he replied

"We finished up yesterday, so we're heading down the mountain" Hasil explained "You got a minute? With all that's going on, we ain't had much time to talk…"

Foster VIII replied "Lets set" gesturing toward the chairs on the deck. As they settled in, he asked Hasil "what's on your mind?"

"Well, you know me and Sally Ann are having a baby…." Hasil started

Foster VIII nodded "I do, G'win told me."

"I intend to ask her to marry me." Hasil explained "and I'll be living down the hill for good. That said, I know the clans ain't high on kin that leave the mountain, but I'd like to know I'm still welcome and that my family would be welcome. I want my kids to know where I come from, and I got people I love….."

The Bren'in held up his hand to interrupt "Most of our old ways, I'd lay down my life to protect. But not that one, we can't go on turning our backs on family. You and yours are a part of this family, and you'll always have a place here."

"Thank you Bren'in" Hasil said, relief washing over him "I give my word we'll respect the clan ways anytime we're on the mountain."

"Think she'll say yes?" Foster VIII asked with a smile

"I sure hope so" he replied, laughing nervously "though I ain't sure I'm deserving."

"You ought to get married up here" Foster VIII suggested "give the clan a chance to celebrate with y'all and welcome Sally Ann to the family."

"If she says yes" Hasil replied "I'll leave that part up to Sally Ann. I better get going, I'd like to get these folks off the mountain before dinner."

The Bren'in stood and extended his forearm, Hasil did the same and the men touched foreheads.

"Safe journey Cousin" Foster VIII

Hasil nodded and walked around the porch to leave. Foster VIII heard his daughter laugh and turned to see G'Win and Ray coming out.

"He alright?" G'win asked as Foster VIII reached for Ray

"He wanted to make sure his family was welcome on the mountain" he explained "he's getting ready to propose …."

G'Win moved in close and put her arm around his waist "What do you think about that?"

Foster VIII smiled, and leaned down to kiss G'Win "Well….. I only been married 2 days, but I highly recommend it"  
_____________________________________________

Sally Ann was awake, waiting for the alarm to go off. Moving day! She'd been working this past week to get the house ready for today. They had a yard sale over the weekend to get rid of anything they didn't want and brought in what they did want to keep.

They decided to keep the kitchen table and the couch. But they needed a cover for the couch and to furnish the rest of the living room, master bedroom, and a home office. Hasil was grateful to turn over his decorating duties to Frieda when he left for the trip up Shay Mountain. After shopping on Monday, it was clear he had zero enthusiasm for decorating.

On the other hand, Frieda was very enthusiastic and appointed herself Sally Ann's personal shopper.

"You just go to work so you can pay for this stuff" Frieda commanded "Let me do my thing"

Sally Ann did need to work, next week they would be filing suit against One Planet and the prep this week was keeping everyone at the office late. But Frieda was on the job, and Sally Ann was involved via Face Time, text, and photos. A estate sale, flea market trip, auction and short trip to Lexington later – they had everything they needed.

Today they just had to move everything from the apartment over to the house. Joyce let Sally Ann borrow her pick up and Ellis was coming over with his truck. With two trucks, they should be able to get it done in one trip.

The alarm on her phone went off and Sally Ann leaned over Hasil to turn it off.

"Babe…." She said quietly, leaning in to kiss his cheek

"Hmmmm" he answered, not opening his eyes

She raised her voice and sang loudly "Its moving day! Movingdaymovingday… moooo-ving day!"

Hasil opened his eyes and smiled "You gonna wake up Declan with all that noise"

Sally Ann laid her head on Hasil's shoulder "Nope! We've been awake for hours. He really wants to know why we aren't working on his room yet"

"We got a few months son" he replied, rubbing her stomach "your Ma and Aintin Frieda ain't gonna let you down. I hear they got plans to make it fab….what's that word?"

"Fabulous! But it a very boyish way" Sally Ann replied, laughing. Looking up at Hasil, she asked "Do you know what today is?"

"Moving day?" Hasil responded

"Yes!" she answered "Our life together really started in that house, I still can't believe it's now our actual home….."

Hasil saw his opening and seized it "We should do our first date all over tonight. Dinner and dancing in our actual kitchen" he leaned into kiss her "and the after dinner part too."

"We should!" She agreed "Especially the after dinner part…..in our actual bed. C'mon, up up up! Its moving day! Movingdaymovingday… moooo-ving day!"  
_________________________________________________________

Hasil came down after taking a shower. Frieda had helped Sally Ann unpack her book collection and put them in the office bookshelves, they were now breaking down the boxes.

"Lemme help" Hasil said, moving forward and taking a box out of Sally Ann's hand "This it?"

"Yep" she replied "now they just need to go out to the curb"

"You are officially unpacked!"Frieda declared

"Thank you Miss Frieda, I sure appreciate you helping Sally with all this" Hasil replied sincerely "if it was me we woulda just had a hammock in the living room…."

Sally Ann laughed and chimed in "And I'm getting to the point I can barely get off a couch without help, so that definitely would not have worked. Seriously, thank you Frieda." She moved forward and wrapped the other woman in a hug

"You know I got you Sis" Frieda replied "That's what family does. I'm gonna go now, so you can enjoy your "actual" house"

"I'll call you tomorrow afternoon" Sally Ann said "I owe you a trip for a mani/pedi"

Hasil picked up the broken down boxes and said "I'll see Miss Frieda out and get these to the curb"

"K…..I'm gonna hop in the shower" she replied

As Hasil and Frieda walked down the front steps she asked "You ready? How are you feeling?"

"I'm ready, been ready for a spell" Hasil replied "that don't mean I ain't scared out of my wits….."

As they reached the curb and Hasil set the boxes down, Frieda reached into her purse and pulled out the ring she'd been holding. Handing it to Hasil she said "You'll be fine. Just speak from your heart, she knows it well."

Hasil accepted the ring box and opened it to look at the ring "Yes ma'am" He replied "Thank you, truly"

Frieda gave Hasil a quick peck on the cheek and said "Just take care of our girl."  
_____________________________________________________

Sally Ann was upstairs getting cleaned up…...still.

Hasil was in the kitchen trying to get dinner ready, but he couldn't go two minutes without patting his pocket to check for the ring or pulling it out to look at it.

He'd planned to redo their first date and propose during the slow dance, but with every passing minute he became more sure that wasn't going to work. He was having a hard time resisting the urge to storm the upstairs bathroom and ask her right now, there was no way he was gonna be able to sit through a meal with this ring burning a hole in his pocket.

"How am I gonna do this?" He asked himself out loud

"Do what?" Sally Ann asked, entering the kitchen behind him

Hasil started and turned "Dang it! When'd you get so sneaky?!"

She smiled and replied "Living with James made me part ninja."

"Part what?" He asked, as they walked toward one another and came together in an embrace.

"A ninja is…..you know what, we'll watch a movie sometime" Sally Ann buried her face in his neck as he pulled her close. "Your heart is racing" she commented "You alright? What were you talking about, do what?"

Hasil closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He pulled her closer, his nerves calmed by her embrace.

"Babe?" Sally Ann said pulling back to look at him "What's going on?"

As Hasil opened his eyes and looked around, recalling the first time he embraced her in this spot, they were right where he wanted to be….he smiled and twirled a strand of her hair

What?" She asked

"This is it, this is the spot" He explained

"Hasil, I don't …" Sally Ann started

"When I came down the mountain to find you that first night" he interrupted "I was scared to death. I didn't know what to expect, but something told me to have faith in you. I grew up with a lot of things weighing on me – and I let them things still me and hold me back. Held me back from dreaming and held me back from living. Then I met you and one look in your eyes and I was free of all of it. I had hope for the first time…..that I could be….and do….and love….and be loved. By the time we got half up the mountain that night I knew I wasn't gonna let nothing hold me back ever again."

"I'm sorry I didn't accept your offer to rob beer and chicken wings….." Sally Ann joked to help fend off the tears

Hasil touched her face "That didn't hold me back. And after that first day you let me walk you home, I knew I wanted to be part of your life. But that night we had our first date and we danced right here in this kitchen, I knew I loved you….would love you for all my days. So this is it…..this is the where I was standing when I knew I loved you."

Hasil stepped back and pulled the ring box from his pocket, Sally Ann gasped – her hand flying to her mouth as he dropped to one knee.

Hasil took her hand and looked into her eyes "I love you Sally Ann Lewis. You brought my soul to life. I want you to be my wife, I want you to carry my name. Will you marry me?"

Sally Ann nodded "Yes!" Trembling with emotion as Hasil slid the ring on her finger.

Standing, Hasil pulled her into an embrace "I love you Darlin"

"I love you too Hasil Farrell" she replied, her lips meeting his in a passionate kiss. She slowly started to back out of the kitchen pulling Hasil with her "Lets skip to the after dinner part of the date…  
_________________________________________________

Sally Ann walked into the kitchen to find Hasil prepping breakfast. "Good Morning Fiancée"

"Good morning Fiancée" he replied with a smile

Putting her arm around his waist, she replied "What are you doing?"

Hasil turned and kissed her on the cheek "Well I was gonna bring you breakfast in bed….."

"You were serious about that?" she replied with a smile

He put the eggs on and replied "Yep! But since you'll be seeing me for the rest of your life, I guess we can try that another day. You set yourself down…I got this"

Sally Ann smiled and did as he asked. "You're getting really good in the kitchen"

"I wouldn't call this good" Hasil replied, setting orange juice on the table "but I ought to be able to help out if my wife is gonna be a lawyer"

"You think we can do it?" She asked, smiling at the mention of being his wife

"Do what?" He asked

"All of it. If I'm gonna be a lawyer, that's at least 5 more years of school – and I'll be working." She explained "We'll have Declan to take care of and you'll be working too - for your family and on your beers – and you'll be taking classes so you can get a GED. It's just…..a lot"

Hasil nodded "It'll be hard work, but when you think about what we been through and how hard we worked to come through it? We can do it…don't mean we won't need help, or that it'll be easy, or all happen when we want it to. You and me. I ain't worried"

Sally Ann smiled "You're right, I just need to focus on the journey and not the destination. You and me. And him….." she said, touching her belly "I can't say I'm not worried, y'all are the most important thing in the world to me."

"Darlin….." he started

"BUT" she interrupted "far more than anything I'm happy and hopeful and grateful. We can do this."

"We surely can" Hasil agreed, leaning forward to steal a kiss "Can you send Ellis a message that we're gonna have to meet later? Somebody kept me up late…"

"I did my best" She replied with a smile, reaching for her phone "So when is your first batch of beer gonna be done? Ellis has been on the phone all week lining up places to take samples."

"We'll open it up for a taste next week" he replied taking the eggs off the stove "being it's the first batch we're gonna sell, I want to give it plenty of time."

She nodded "Did you decide on a name for the beer?"

"I know Ellis thinks using the Farrell name will help us sell more" Hasil said "but I ain't partial to Farrell Beer or Farrell Ale."

"How about Shay Mountain Ale?" Sally Ann suggested "You could have the name stay the same for each flavor. Shay Mountain Ale at the top, then in the middle you can put a logo, and the flavor at the bottom."

"Shay Mountain Ale…I like that!" He replied "What's a logo?"

"A picture that you use to represent your product" She explained "you could use one of your tattoos….let me show you". Sally Ann grabbed a piece of paper and laid out the lettering "See, the name up here and the flavor at the bottom. In the middle you could put a logo."

Hasil took the paper and pencil from her and began to sketch out the tattoo on his hand in the logo space. "Like this?" He asked, turning the paper back around for her to view

"Yes! Exactly like that!" She enthused "Let me take a picture and send it to Ellis."

Hasil returned to the stove to finish breakfast while Sally Ann took several several photos of the drawing and sent them to Ellis.

Ellis replied "That's perfect! Shay Mountain Ale by H&E Brewing Company"

"He likes it!" Sally Ann shared "So you guys decided on H&E Brewing Company for a name?"

"Yep. Hasil and Ellis, seemed simple enough." Hasil asked, bringing the plates over. Sitting down to join Sally Ann, he said "Now let's talk some more about the wedding. It'll be easier for me now that you got some clothes on…"  
________________________________________________________

"If there is nothing else to add, we'll wrap up" Taeson said "This will be our last call. The complaint lodged with the DOJ against the State of Kentucky is closed on our end. Going forward, it's just a matter of enforcing the settlement. We will continue to investigate One Planet, but that is separate from the civil claims the ACLU is bringing against them. It is best the government investigation remain independent."

"Thank you for everything Taeson" Lena said "Having you in our corner kept this from dragging out for years."

"My pleasure" he responded "this type of injustice is exactly why I signed up."

"Hasil and I thank you both on behalf of our family" Joyce said "Our gratitude for what you've done for us is immeasurable."

"Well I work for beer" Lena replied "So if Hasil sends me a 6 Pack of Shay Mountain Ale, we'll call it even!"

"Consider it done Ms. Lena" Hasil promised when the laughter died down

"And I hear congratulations are in order" Lena replied "When is the wedding?"

"Thank you ma'am" he replied "Next week, we're getting married up on mountain."

"Beautiful!" Lena enthused "We're all so happy for you two"

"You all had a hand in getting us there" Hasil said "So like Joyce said, we truly thank you and Mr. Taeson for all you done."

"Glad to be of service" Taeson replied "Now even though this is our last scheduled call, everyone knows how to get in contact with me. Let me know if I can help in any way. You did good work people!"  
__________________________________________________________________

Sally Ann stood under the Knot Tree in Shay Holler, dressed in a delicate vintage lace floor length dress, with her hair braided as it had been the day she met Hasil. She held a bouquet gifted to her by the Bren'in and G'win as she waited for her groom to arrive.

Mrs. Walton stood with her as the gauntlet line formed. She agreed without hesitation when Sally Ann asked her to perform the ceremony.

Everyone was still getting used to outsiders on the mountain so the wedding was a small affair compared to most clan weddings. Hasil emerged from the trees, dressed in a black kilt. He wore a matching vest with a crisp long sleeve white shirt. He stopped briefly at his parents graves and kneeled down to say a few words to them before turning to continue toward the knot tree.

Hasil caught the first glimpse of Sally Ann as he reached the gauntlet line. He inhaled sharply and looked down, taking a moment to compose himself. The most beautiful woman in the world was standing there…and she was waiting for him.

Krake stepped forward "You ready to run The Gauntlet Hasil?"

Hasil smiled as his eyes found Sally Ann again "I been ready, let's go!"

"All right then!" Krake yelled "On your mark, get set, run!"

Hasil took off, knocking over the first two men. He made quick work of the line, not encountering any serious challenge. Everyone knew what he'd already gone through to get to this day and wanted this happy ending for them.

Sally Ann watched, unable to stop smiling, as the cheers of their loved ones filled her ears. She only had eyes for Hasil and immediately locked her gaze to his as he emerged from The Gauntlet.

Striding forward, Hasil took her hand in his and raised it to his lips. Stepping in close, they touched foreheads and breathed in one another.

"Hello there Lady" Hasil whispered

"Hello" she whispered suggestively

Smiling, Hasil pulled back and offered her his arm and together they stepped to the altar.

Mrs. Walton declared, quoting the Bible "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance." She paused, smiling at Hasil and Sally Ann "And perseverance and faith is what brought these two here today. Good day to you all, we are gathered here today to celebrate the love of these two young people and share in the pure joy of their life together."

Sally Ann and Hasil floated through the ceremony, never taking their eyes off each other, saying the words they'd rehearsed yesterday and lived since their first night together and waiting for the words they came to hear.

"Hasil and Sally Ann, you have come here today of your own free will and in the presence of family and friends, have declared your love and commitment to each other. You have given and received a ring as a symbol of your promises. By the power of your love and commitment to each other, and by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife…..." Mrs. Walton stopped as Hasil stepped forward to kiss his wife "I was going to say you may now kiss the bride, but it looks like that won't be necessary!"

Hand in Hand, Hasil and Sally Ann turned to face their cheering friends and family and Mrs. Walton announced "Loved Ones! I present to you our newlyweds, Hasil and Sally Ann Farrell!"  
__________________________________________________

2 Months later…..

Another contraction…Sally Ann squeezed Hasil's hand and leaned on the wall for support. As the contraction passed she opened her eyes to see her worried husbands face. Before he could ask, for the 1000th time, she said "I'm good…."

"Maybe you ought to let the doctor give you…" Hasil started and they continued to walk the halls of the hospital

"No…..I can do this, I think he's getting close." Sally Ann replied, exhausted but determined. "One more lap and we'll head back to the room"

"Just think about it" Hasil asked as they started down the hall, seeing her in pain was hard on him "We been walking for hours. If you ain't any further along when they check…"

"It would help if your son wasn't so huge" Sally Ann interrupted, trying to lighten the mood "You're like 5'9, why are we having a 9 pound baby?"

Hasil laughed "Nope…you ain't laying that on me. I come from the little side of clan, must be that Lewis blood. Your feet are about as big a mine!"

"True!" She replied with a smile "or it could be that I've been eating like a horse the last month. My ass is twice as big as…"

"Hey now!" Hasil interrupted "Ain't nothing wrong with your ass Mrs. Farrell….."

They were interrupted by another contraction, Sally Ann bent over and braced herself against the wall. Hasil moved close and she squeezed his hand and rested her head on his chest.

As her breathing returned normal, Hasil said "These last two was real close together. You good?"

She slowly straightened up, meeting his worried eyes "We need to get back to the room now…..its time."  
_____________________________________

3 hours later….

Sally Ann slept soundly, Hasil sitting in the rocking chair next to the bed with Declan resting on his bare chest.

"You sure tuckered your Ma out BigUn " he whispered to his son "lets you and me just set right here and let her sleep. Yep….that pretty lady right there…..that's her. You sure are lucky, your Ma is the smartest, most patient, kindest person in the whole world. Now you're stuck with me for your Fa, but I love you and your Ma more than anything and ain't nothing more important to me than taking care of the two of you."

Outside the window, Shay Mountain seemed to loomed larger as the sun rose on another day. The spirits cast a shadow of peace and serenity from the top of the mountain to the deepest parts of the valley, healing the connection between the valley and mountain souls.  
_________________________________________________________

30 months later…Epilogue to epilogue…..

Hasil came in as Sally Ann finished loading the dishwasher.

"He out?" She asked

"Cold" he grinned , shaking his head "talked my ear off for 20 minutes then fell asleep in the middle of a sentence"

"He did the same thing in the car this afternoon" Sally Ann replied, smiling "Fell asleep in the middle of trying to talk me out of his afternoon nap. So how did everything go today?"

"Good, got everything set" Hasil said, leaning on the counter next to her "The Shay Mountain Law Scholarship is open for applicants."

"I can't believe you guys are doing this" Sally Ann replied, still amazed at what Hasil and Ellis were doing.

Hasil shrugged "Well I saved all that money for your law school, but since you got that scholarship it only seems right to offer somebody else a chance. Ellis liked the idea too, they just gotta agree to work for a civil rights group for 2 years. We're gonna try to keep it going "

"I'm so proud of you" Sally Ann said, wrapping her arms around Hasil

"As proud as you are of Dec for going in the potty?" Hasil joked "Cause he said you was super proud of him!"

Sally Ann laughed "I am super proud of you both! You know he is gonna be potty trained pretty quick, he is getting so good about going"

Hasil grinned, excited "That mean what I think it does?"

Sally Ann laughed "I don't know Babe…I'm sure he'll be out of diapers pretty quick, but I don't want to take a break from school…..It can take awhile to get pregnant when you come off of birth control…"

Hasil scoffed, kissing her neck "Won't take no time at all, I ain't seen that patch on your backside all week so…."

"In order for me to just take the summer off, we'd have to get pregnant in the next 2 months" she started "Hasil! She yelped, laughing "Put me down!"

Hasil threw Sally Ann over his shoulder, heading for their bedroom "We gotta go woman, I'm on the clock!"  
____________________________

5 weeks later…..

Sally Ann picked up the pregnancy test off the bathroom sink and smiled "This damn man…."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The End! Thanks for sticking in with me, writing this and finishing it meant alot to me. I learned so much and discovered a hidden passion. Hope you enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing - and I hope you feel like our Sasil got the ending they deserved!


End file.
